Five Stellenbosch schools were among the province’s crème de la crème honoured for their outstanding performances in the 2024 National Senior Certificate (NSC) examinations last week.
The schools were invited to the annual NSC Awards Ceremony, which was hosted by the provincial education department and Premier Alan Winde at Leeuwenhof last Thursday (30 January).
Hoër Meisieskool Bloemhof, Rhenish Girls’ High School en Paul Roos Gimnasium were recognised for their academic excellence, and were named among the Western Cape’s top 20 schools, while Lückhoff High School and Kayamandi Secondary School were among the schools honoured for showing the greatest improvement.
HMS Bloemhof received four awards at the prestigious ceremony, including an award for being the second-best school in the province – an improvement from the fifth place it achieved in the 2023 exams. The school is also the only Afrikaans-medium school to place in the top five.
“It is an honour for our school to hold this position, but it speaks of hard work, perseverance and a commitment to excellence by Bloemhof’s learners and teachers,” said principal Maré Bosch.
HMS Bloemhof also received an award for the advancement of technical subjects and for achieving a pass rate of more than 95% over five years.
The school’s matric class of 2024 also achieved the highest average for Afrikaans home language.
Rhenish Girls’ High is also among the top five schools in the province, placing fourth and jumping two spots from the sixth place it achieved in the 2023 exams.
“Rhenish Girls’ High School is truly honoured to be placed fourth in the province. This achievement is a testament to the dedication and perseverance of the class of 2024, whose hard work has made this possible,” said principal Tracey Megom.
“We also extend our gratitude to our exceptional staff, whose unwavering commitment has ensured that our learners reach their full potential. Without their support and guidance, such success would not have been possible.”
Paul Roos Gymnasium was named the 11th best school in the province, maintaining the position it achieved last year.
This year, the improved 2024 pass rate of Lückhoff High ensured that the Idas Valley school received two awards at the ceremony. Its 2024 matric class achieved an 81,2% pass rate, a 26,7% increase from the 54,5% it achieved in the 2023 exams.
The school was ranked among the schools that achieved the greatest increase in its pass rate from 2023 to 2024, and was also recognised in the category for schools for the most improved pass performance.
Furthermore, Kayamandi Secondary was recognised for its academic excellence in the category for schools that showed the greatest increase in the percentage of candidates achieving subject distinctions from 2023 to 2024. A total of 77 subject distinctions were achieved by the school’s candidates in the 2024 NSC exams, compared to six subject distinctions which were earned in 2023.
