Heartbreak as only two out of 84 Thubelihle pupils make cut

HEARTBREAKING scenes played out at Thubelihle High School yesterday when more than 80 matric pupils were left devastated after learning that only two of their classmates had passed.

The New Brighton school was the worst-performing in the metro with a dismal 3.2% pass rate.

Just two other schools in the province performed worse, with Msobomvu High School in East London and Daliwonga Senior Secondary School in Cofimvamba registering a 0% pass rate.

The schools have just four and eight pupils respectively.

About eight Thubelihle pupils, who did not want to be named for fear of victimisation, gathered at the school’s entrance, discussing the appalling results.

One pupil said she was disappointed after buying the newspaper yesterday morning and seeing only two exam numbers listed under her school.

In total, 84 pupils had sat for the examinations at Thubelihle.

The upset pupils alleged yesterday that teachers sometimes sat in the staff room and did not come to classes.

“I don’t want to put the blame entirely on teachers or learners but there would be times when we would not be taught,” the pupil said.

“The teachers would not even bother to come to class and we would also just sit around and do nothing and this would go on for two to three days.”

The pupil said she had been devastated when she heard from a neighbour that only two pupils had passed.

“I was so ashamed. I honestly thought I would make it. This is not right.”

Another pupil said: “I really wanted to go to [university] this year. What am I going to do now?

“The worst part is that I have not even told my family about my results and I am scared they have heard it from other people.”

Another pupil also became emotional when asked if her par- ents knew about her performance. “I don’t know if they’ve heard about this,” she said.

Some pupils said the school had always done poorly, but a 3.2% pass rate was a disgrace.

Another pupil said she had expected to fail accounting but her overall results were a shock.

“I pushed hard because I had hope, but I did not make it.”

Yesterday morning, Thubelihle High School principal Toba Mavovana said he could not talk as he was driving.

Several calls and messages after that went unanswered.

The teachers would not even bother to come to class