Adopt-a-School Foundation celebrates the outstanding matric pass rate of its adopted schools

The Adopt-a-School Foundation (AAS), which supports 665 under-resourced schools countrywide, is celebrating the outstanding overall performance of its adopted schools whose matric results have mirrored those of the record-breaking national pass rate.

The Matric Class of 2024 achieved a national pass rate of 87.3%, the highest in the history of democratic South Africa. This surpassed the 82.9% recorded for 2023 and reflects an improvement of 4.4%. In the Matric Class of 2024, the Foundation supported 57 high schools.  When analysed, the Foundation’s Matric Class of 2024 produced an overall matric performance of 87%. This matched that of the national rate and marked a 15.4% improvement from the Adopt-a-School baseline result of 71.6% in 2010. The overall matric performance improved by 2% from 85% in 2023 to 87% in 2024.

The Foundation, a partner entity of the Cyril Ramaphosa Foundation, is a non-profit organisation that implements Whole School Development, (WSD) a model that focuses on school leadership, curriculum, infrastructure and learner wellbeing to help under-resourced schools in need.  This model is the cornerstone of the Foundation’s mandate. Since 2002, Adopt-a-School Foundation and its partners have invested over R 1,2billion, reaching 1.6 million learners across 665 primary and high schools it supports nationally.

The outstanding 2024 matric results at the Foundation’s adopted schools included four schools that attained 100% in overall performance. High achieving Kwa-Zulu Natal schools Ndukwenhle High School in Umlazi adopted by Grindrod and Iniwe Secondary School adopted by the Foundation have both have attained 100% for two consecutive years. In Gauteng, Mokgome Secondary School in Meadowlands West, Soweto adopted by Delta Partners went from 80.7% in 2023 to 100% this year, while Diepsloot Secondary School, supported by AngloGold Ashanti, improved from 96.76% in 2023 to 100% in 2024.

Xolani Mbambo, CEO of Grindrod Limited said: “To the 2024 matric students, congratulations on your outstanding results! On behalf of Grindrod, we are proud to be associated with Ndukwenhle High School and honoured to have contributed, even in a small way, to your success. We wish you all the best as you embark on an exciting new chapter in your lives.”

Kwazamokuhle Secondary School in Hendrina, Mpumalanga, supported by Sasria SOC Pty Ltd, is another school that  performed well, achieving a pass rate of 96,8% in 2024.

The CEO of Sasria, Mpumi Tyikwe said: “We extend our congratulations to the Matric Class of 2024 for their outstanding achievements! This milestone is a testament to their hard work, dedication and perseverance. Through our partnership with Adopt-a-School Foundation, we are proud to support the development of educators and learners, paving the way for even greater achievements in the future.”

The Foundation also celebrated its national top achiever Lalamani Maselesele, 17, from an adopted rural Limpopo school, Tshivhase Secondary in Thohoyandou that has been  supported by the Industrial Development Corporation (IDC). She received seven distinctions and took home the number one award in quintile 2 schools.

Maselesele, who was among 39 learners named in South Africa’s honour list, was also honoured at the Limpopo Provincial Awards ceremony. Limpopo province achieved an 85.1% pass rate, up from 79.4% in 2023.

Adopt-a-School further acknowledged learners that excelled provincially.  Indiphile Mkhanya from Meriti Secondary in the North-West Province, supported by Merafe Resources was awarded Top Learner in Economics and secured first place among the quintile three schools in the province. Another star learner was Aureate Precious Mthembu, 18, from Makhosana Manzini Secondary School in Calcutta, Mpumalanga Province who was recognised among the top ten candidates in the province! Ntebogang Cassandra Sedumecwe ,17, from Setswakgosing Secondary in Morokweng in North West Province was honoured as one of the 2024 National Senior Certificate Top Achievers and placed second among the quintile two schools.

The remarkable achievements of Foundation adopted schools and learners were applauded by AAS Programme Executive, Banyana Mohajane, who said: “These schools continue to shine as models of success, proving that with the right support, learners from disadvantaged backgrounds can achieve excellence.”

She added: “Through its WSD model the Foundation aims to transition schools from underperforming too functional and too exceptional. As such, the Foundation defines its success as the transition from underperforming school to an exceptional school.”

Underperforming refers to performance from 0% to 50%, functional refers to performance from 51% to 79.9% and exceptional refers to performance above 80%.  Schools in the exceptional category increased by 35% from the baseline result of 42% to 77% in 2024.

Mohajane said: “We are happy to report that no adopted schools underperformed in 2021, 2022, 2023 and 2024.”

Ambassador Baso Sangqu, SVP Group Sustainability at AngloGold Ashanti said: “AngloGold Ashanti wishes to congratulate the class of 2024 and top performing learners on achieving such a significant milestone.”

“AngloGold Ashanti’s CSI Fund remains committed to supporting education related programmes, alongside other strategic partners, to empower the youth and contribute to the current and future upliftment of communities. Education is a powerful tool that can unlock opportunities.”

Adopt-a-School Foundation proudly announced evidence that WSD works. Here are some statistics gleaned from an analysis of the results of adopted schools:

 

• The University/Technikon passes improved by 22.3% from the baseline result of 52.4% in 2010 to 74.7% in 2024.
• The University/Technikon passes improved by 4.9% from 69.8% in 2023 to 74.7% in 2024.
• Bachelor passes improved by 25.6% from the baseline result of 23.5% in 2010 to 49.1% in 2024.
• Bachelors passes improved by 6.1% from 43% in 2023 to 49.1% in 2024.
• Diploma   passes stood at 28.9% in 2010 (baseline) and at 25.6% in 2024.
• Diploma passes stood at 26.8% in 2023 and at 25.6% in 2024.
• The Higher Certificates were 19% in 2010 (baseline) and stood at 12.1% in 2024.
• The Higher Certificates were at 14.7% in 2022 and stood at 12.1% in 2024.

 

The Adopt-a-School Foundation remains committed to fostering such success stories and ensuring that more learners across South Africa have the opportunity to reach their full potential. The organisation looks forward to continuing its partnership with schools, communities, and the Department of Basic Education to build a brighter future for all learners.