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News - Date: 18 January 2013
One of the rurals schools in Vhembe that usually performs well in the final Grade 12 exams, Matavhela Secondary School, is struggling to make ends meet because of a lack of resources.
Matavhela has been attracting a lot of pupils from different parts of Vhembe since 2008. That year, the school started to produce good matric results, under the leadership of Mr Madock Ravhuanzo. The school’s pass rate in 2012 was 83.09%, 95.5% in 2011, 95.2% in 2010 and 92% in 2009.
During a visit to the school by the mayor of the Vhembe District Municipality, Cllr Tshitereke Matibe, last Wednesday morning as part of his "Back to School” campaign, Ravhuanzo revealed that the 32 teachers were struggling to cope with more than 1 400 pupils enrolled at the school.
He said they did not have enough classes and the majority of the more than 270 Grade 8 pupils did not have desks and chairs. Others pupils, including these of Grade 11D and the Grade 12 history class, also did not have stationery. The school also does not have water or toilets. There is no telephone line or internet connection at the computer lab. The teachers are using two small store rooms as staff rooms.
During Matibe's visit on Wednesday, the school had already written four tests in different grades. The pupils also promised Matibe that they would produce better results this year.
Matibe, who hails from Mufilwi village, less than a kilometre away from the school, said he was happy to see his former school doing so well.
He encouraged the pupils to study hard and take advantage of government opportunities like free bursaries.
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