Mbilwi Secondary School once again claimed the number one spot in the 2014 matric results in Limpopo for producing more passes with university exemption than any other school. The school has enjoyed this achievement for more more than 10 years.

During the announcement of the provincial results outside Polokwane on Tuesday, it was revealed that out of the 403 candidates who wrote the exams at Mbilwi, 257 pupils passed with university exemption. The school also collected a long string of accolades for its teachers and pupils who outshone their peers by obtaining 100% maths and science pass rates, a feat that put the school in the elite Club 100 schools of mathematical excellence.  

The principal of the school, Mr  Cedrick Lidzhade, said breeding academic excellence had always been part of the school’s since its inception in 1979. “Mbilwi has a history, culture and tradition of excellence. It was started specifically to teach maths and science, the so-called difficult subjects, and it has been performing excellently since then,” Lidzhade said.

“I feel very good to lead such a wonderful school of great men and women. The secret of the school is teamwork, hard work, dedication and commitment and not forgetting the willingness to go the extra mile.”

He added that the school’s consistent success record could be attributed to the fact that they concentrated on mathematics and physical science subjects, a speciality for which it produces 100% pass rates year after year. “We teach only one stream; our focus is maths and science, then we have life sciences or biology and the languages.” he said.

Apart from special programmes such as winter and spring schools, which attract pupils who camp in Venda from around the country for a fortnight, Lidzhade said pupils were sometimes encouraged to come to school on Saturdays and Sundays because “the input will equal the output; you can’t reap what you don’t sow."

Not only did Mbilwi outshine its counterparts in the province, but it has contributed to the success of the Vhembe district, which emerged as the overall best in the province with an 81,1% pass rate.

Avheani  Maitakhole (18) from the rural Makakavhale High at Lwamondo obtained a 100% pass in physical science, maths, English, life sciences, geography, Tshivenda and life orientation. She said her sterling performance emanated from the support she got from her teachers, parents and classmates. She will start her studies in medicine at the University of Cape Town this year.

 “We had the best teachers who were fully committed and always there for us. They go the extra mile for us in every subject, and they cry with us [joyfully] when we do well. We have a good support system and the children help each other, so that everybody does well,” Maitakhole said, adding that those who failed matric should never give up.

Premier Stan Mathabatha congratulated the class of 2014 “for making the province proud”. Limpopo obtained a 72,9% pass rate, a 1,1% increase from last year’s result.