Two Stellenbosch schools were among the top award winners at the 2024 National Education Excellence Awards held at the Birchwood Hotel and OR Tambo Conference Centre in Boksburg on Friday (29 November).
Hoër Meisieskool Bloemhof and Rhenish Girls’ High School were awarded prestigious prizes at the awards ceremony, which celebrates and recognises the remarkable work done by districts and schools to deliver quality teaching and learning.
Bloemhof was crowned the top-performing public secondary school in Quintile 5, while Rhenish placed third in the same category.
Both schools ranked in the top three in the same category last year, demonstrating a consistent level of performance by their staff and learners.
Wilna van Heerden, retiring prinicipal of HMS Bloemhof, was on hand to receive the school’s award, a Facebook post shared. “We thank and congratulate our dedicated teachers, hardworking learners, parents and the entire staff corps – it is a huge honour for HMS Bloemhof,” the post read.
Rhenish principal Tracey Megom, said: “It was a great honour to accept this award on behalf of the school and I am immensely proud of the whole school community for their commitment and dedication to academic excellence.”
The oldest girls’ school in South Africa, has been acknowledged for its consistent excellence, across a number of areas in the school throughout the year. These accolades pay tribute to the hard work and dedication of the staff, learners, parents and the broader school community, and are a testament to the pursuit of holistic excellence, a statement from the school underscored.
Earlier this year Rhenish was one of a number of schools selected for a whole school evaluation process by the Schools’ Evaluation Authority (SEA), an organisation contracted by the department to assess the level of functionality of schools across all areas. “After spending three full days in the school-assessing systems, visiting classes and interviewing staff, learners and parents, we were very proud to have received an evaluation rating of outstanding, across all five categories, an incredible achievement,” Megom said.
David Maynier, provincial education minister, handed a certificate for the achievement over at a function on Saturday 23 November.
In addition to these accolades, Rhenish was also acknowledged as the fourth-best school in the country for girls’ sport.
“I am extremely proud of our school community, which has worked exceptionally hard to achieve these impressive provincial and national awards.”
Schools and education districts of the Western Cape palmed a further seven awards at the ceremony. “This is wonderful testament to the hard work our district officials do every day to support our schools and learners,” said Maynier.
Departmental officials were celebrated at the National Batho Pele and Innovation Awards held at the Radisson Blue Hotel and Conference Centre in Kempton Park.
The awards acknowledge and honour exceptional public service delivery and innovation in the public sector, with Johan Clarke of the Overberg Education District Learner Transport Scheme winning the National Trailblazer Award for an app designed to support learner transport and the department’s Rapid School Build team, led by Salie Abrahams, getting bronze for the “Best Implemented Project of the Year”.
