Celebrations as El Shaddai obtains 100% matric pass
Principal Rene Payne and teachers at El Shaddai Christian Academy are celebrating the school’s 100% matric pass rate, after all 19 pupils came through their matric examinations.
“Through the hard work of teachers and pupils, the matriculants achieved a 63% bachelor pass results and 37% diploma pass rate,” Payne said.
“We are proud to be one of the top five performing schools in the Grahamstown CMC.
“I am over the moon. We wait with churning stomachs for these results to come out and when they do, the joy of knowing that each child can get on with their lives is just incredible.”
Payne warned though that the hard work continues from here for matriculants.
“We do inculcate in them throughout the year life lessons, that is about being an adult which is
even more important than academics. So we, as teachers, spend a lot of time with them trying to mentor them on the values of life and how to cope with it [as young adults].”
Teacher John Coetzee said as a new teacher at the school it was really uplifting to share in the matriculants’ success.
“It was a tough year especially for the new teachers. We learnt a lot. We tried to make it the best every single day and to get the best out of every situation so we all are super excited about the results.
“They are still young adults so it’s hard for them to sit down and focus all the time. A lot of the curriculum isn’t easy; it’s still hard work that you have to put in to it.
“A lot of people have this idea that grade 11 is a difficult year and that grade 12 is just a repeat, but that is not the case.
“There is new content coming in new methods that have to be learnt and it is still a very
difficult year they have to prepare for.”
Another teacher, Amanda Budaza, said the matrics’ success was the teachers’ success too.
“I am excited and emotional and super proud. They worked very hard. For us to see their success is quite something; so everything we put in through our teaching methods and seeing them continue to develop into something successful is quite moving.”
Matriculant Sambeso Nomatye said she was happy to pass but felt she could improve on her marks.
“Maths was difficult for me …if it’s possible I want to rewrite my English and maths. Grade 12 was a bit tricky; it wasn’t easy but all I had to do was to work really hard. I did try my best that’s all I know.”
Classmate Lisakhanya Ntantiso, who achieved a diploma pass, agreed with Sambeso that the matric year had been a hard slog.
“I won’t say I am altogether happy last year was hard as I was dealing with a lot [outside the classroom] but I made it through.
“I am going to follow a career in business management at a college in East London. I want to use it to start my own business one day.”