TARKASTAD
- Tarka High School achieved a 100% pass rate for the 2015 matric exams.
It is the second consecutive year that all the school’s pupils passed.
Seven distinctions were obtained with all of the 26 matriculants at the school qualifying for tertiary education with 18 having obtained bachelor’s passes and eight diploma passes. The school was the only one in the Cradock district to achieve a 100% pass rate.
Principal Gerhard Kitching attributed their success to hard work, dedicated teachers, strict academic discipline and boarding facilities which provided a structured learning environment.
TARKASTAD has been blessed with rain in early January, bringing some relief to farmers in the area who have been experiencing the worst drought conditions in 30 years over the past several months.
The drought has largely been blamed on the El Nino effect, which is caused by the natural warming of the Pacific Ocean surface temperatures and occurs between two and seven years apart. Climate change certainly has also played a role. According to weather reports, Tarkastad can expect further rain during the coming week, particularly on Sunday, with mild temperatures in the mid-20s. Milder temperatures and higher rainfall will hopefully restore underground water reserves that have been depleted over the past season.