Thandulwazi 2015 Academic Results

We salute the Matric Class of 2015, who are drawn from over 180 high schools across Gauteng. These young people self-selected to attend Saturday classes and so took personal responsibility for their education and academic results. They did not disappoint and we applaud them for their efforts, commitment and tenacity.

We acknowledge, with gratitude, the contributions made by the Saturday School teachers, tutors, University of Johannesburg student teachers, volunteers, and the Programme Director, Mr M Z Khoza, who encouraged and assisted the Thandulwazi students to achieve their goals.

Special thanks too to Standard Bank, which has been the major funder of the Saturday School since 2010; our many corporate partners in education, whose funding makes the programme possible; and all the individuals in the Saints Family who sponsor students to attend the programme. Thank you for making a world of difference!

Thandulwazi Saturday School

The Grade 12 Class of 2015, comprising 221 Matric students, achieved an overall pass rate of 98,2%.  As in previous years, this overall pass rate is well ahead of both the Gauteng (84,2%) and national (70,2%) pass rates.

Of greater significance, however, is the quality of these results:61,9% of the Thandulwazi students achieved Bachelor Degree (BD) passes. This figure is more than double the national BD pass rate of 25,8% and well ahead of the regional rate.

2015 Matric results	Thandulwazi	Gauteng (GDE)	National (DoBE)
National Senior Certificate pass  rate	98,2%	84,2%	70,7%
Bachelor Degree pass rate	62,3%	35,7%	25,8%

The Thandulwazi Matric students achieved 71 Level 7s (80% and above) in subjects offered by the Thandulwazi Saturday School:

• 18 distinctions in Core Maths
• 21 distinctions in Life Sciences
• 12 distinctions in Physical Sciences
• 11 distinctions in Accounting
• 9 distinction in English

Of the 30 students comprising the Maths Top Set Class, 14 achieved Maths distinctions and 7 Level 6 (70% or higher).

An analysis of the subject results reflected that:

• 100% of the Thandulwazi students attending English and Life Sciences sessions passed the NSC Exams in 2015.
• Pass rates for Mathematics (83,71%), Physical Sciences (85,31%) and Accounting (96,87%) were also pleasing.
• 89% of the Thandulwazi matriculants passed English with above 50%;
• 70% of our students achieved 50% or higher for Life Sciences and 39% for Physical Sciences;
• 75% of the Grade 12 Accounting students achieved 50% or higher; and
• 40,7% of Thandulwazi students achieved 50% or higher for Maths.

The top achievers were recognized at a Prize-Giving held at the Thandulwazi Saturday School on 16 January 2016. A few of the top achievers are pictured below with Mr Dave Knowles, Head of St Stithians Boys' College.

Four Thandulwazi students were awarded tertiary bursaries by the Standard Bank and StudieTrust. Congratulations to Nhlanhla Manzini (Ivory Park Secondary School), Tshepang Templeton Mapiti (Reitumetse Secondary School) and Koketso Ngoepe (Ivory Park Secondary School) who were awarded Standard Bank CSI Bursaries.

Thandulwazi Intern-Teacher Training Programme

This year, the Thandulwazi intern-teacher training programme trained 34 young teachers, seven of whom graduated from the programme in December 2015. Overall, the year-end UNISA academic results for the Thandulwazi Interns were most pleasing and reflected the interns’ hard work and dedicated attention to their part-time academic studies.

In summary:

Total number of modules/ subjects, for which the Interns  registered (Bachelor of Education or Postgraduate Certificate  in Education (PGCE))	183	%
Total number of modules/ subjects passed by the Interns	165	90,1%
Total number of modules/ subjects passed with distinction	75	41%
Total number of modules/ subjects failed by the Interns	6	3,3%
Supplementary Exams written	12	6,6%

 

Congratulations to all the Thandulwazi Intern-teachers on these excellent results. We thank the Thandulwazi Intern Programme Director, Ms Thobeka Mngambi, and the St Stithians coordinators and mentors most sincerely for their commitment and support as they train the next generation of professional teachers.

The following Thandulwazi graduate teachers (some of whom are pictured above with the Head of Thandulwazi and the Programme Director) are wished every happiness and success in the academic year ahead:

• Ms Thandazile Ndlovu secured a Foundation Phase post at Knight’s Preparatory School (Ferndale)
• Mr Sanele Ndaba, an English & History Major (FET Phase) has accepted a post at St George’s Grammar School in Mowbray (Cape Town)
• Ms Boitumelo Kitime, an English major (FET Phase), is teaching at Masibambane High School in Orange Farm
• Mr Matthew Ross, an English major (FET Phase) is teaching at St Stithians Boys’ College in 2016
• Ms Elaine Botha, a Maths specialist (Inter-Sen Phase) is teaching at Summit College in Kyalami
• Ms Keri Gallan (Foundation Phase) is teaching at Crawford Prep in Durban this year
• Mr Thulani Masum (Maths, FET-Phase) is teaching at the Royal Christian Academy in Soweto

The Thandulwazi Trust remains grateful to all our corporate partners and the individual donors who make it possible for learners and educators to attend the programmes offered by the Thandulwazi Maths & Science Academy.

Our sincere thanks go to St Stithians College for providing the facilities, infrastructure and staffing for the Thandulwazi Maths & Science Academy; and for its commitment to improving the quality of education offered to the youth of our country.