Premier Phumulo Massualle and Fundile Gade
The motto of St John’s College is Lulo ke uloyiso olu, Xhosa for this is victory. The motto of the school, located near Mthatha, captures its spirit of discipline perfectly.
While the average matric pass rate in the Eastern Cape was 65% for 2017, it was 91% at St. John’s.
St John’s and St James Senior Secondary School in Cofimvaba are by no means the only top achieving previously disadvantaged schools in the Eastern Cape, but they are consistent in producing quality results. It has become the norm for their top students to be honoured at the provincial top matric awards. Both schools consistently produce excellent maths and science results, with top students who score in the upper 90s to 100%.
Some of St John’s alumni are renowned movers and shakers, such as Wiphold founder and executive director Gloria Serobe, commercial property developer and founder of the Billion Group Sisa Ngebulana, former Telkom chief executive Nombulelo Pinky Moholi, former minister Lulu Xingwana and Eastern Cape premier Phumulo Masualle.
Speaking a week before the official start of the school year, St John’s headmaster Zolisa Magaqa said teachers and grade 12 learners had already reported for lessons.
He said the first lesson the school inculcates in its students is simply that discipline goes with success. He also said the school fosters a sense of confidence in its students.
“We have developed a culture that says (to students) you have already passed, and all you are here to do is achieve good symbols. We tell them they have no limit, they can get 100% in any subject. Those in grades 11 and 12 demonstrate this culture to the younger ones.”
Throughout the year, learners and teachers follow a strict regimen of morning lessons, Saturday classes, study periods and extra lessons for struggling students.
“We have extra classes in the afternoon and the ones who are stronger in the subject become tutors, so the tutors also get sharper, because they have to prepare for each session. On weekends teachers rotate classes and provide support. We also expose the strong students to speed tests, where, for example, we encourage them to complete a three-hour accounting or maths paper in 2.5 hours. That is why some of our learners gets 100%. We groom both the weaker and strongest students to answer exam questions.”
Magaqa said the school instills a culture of healthy competition among both teachers and students. Teachers take classes on a rotational basis.
“Teachers are able to identify the children’s strengths, because whatever subject they teach in grade eight this year, they will teach those children up to grade 12 in that subject. That creates competition, because each teacher wants their matric class to be the best. Yes, we work as a team, because we own those results as a school. But each teacher is encouraged to come up with their own strategies and the competitiveness spills [over] to students,” said Magaqa, who has been the principal since 2009 and began as a biology teacher in 1991 at St John’s.
After the June exam, students who get a Level 6 average get a Beta award, while those who obtain an average of 80% to 89% get an Alpha Award, and those who get between 90% and 100% get an Alpha Plus award.
St James headmistress Sister Josephina Mpoyiya said their students are groomed for focus and discipline rooted in the Catholic lifestyle.
“We encourage them, motivate their self-discipline and their being open to discipline. We are a Catholic school, they know our culture and what is expected of them,” said Mpoyiya. “They have morning classes at 7am, then after 3pm there’s study. Then we have extra classes from 4pm.”
St James achieved a 96% matric pass rate in the latest results. One of its students took the top honours in the HDI (Human Development Index) category. “We are very happy, because when they get those awards it opens doors for them. We see good results. And it encourages us, and we have the patience to help,” said Mpoyiya.
Other notable achievers are Dalubuhle High School in Alice, where the pass rate has improved from 36% in 2015, 76% in 2016 and 100% last year. Gobizembe High School (also in Alice) achieved a 100% matric pass rate both last year and in 2016 after an 88% pass rate in 2015. King Edward High School in Mataliele achieved a 100% pass for the past three years, while Efata School for the Blind and Deaf in Mthatha achieved a 100% pass, from 42.9% in 2015.