Stellenbosch’s Melissa Muller has been placed number one out of more than 700,000 matric learners who sat for the National Senior Certificate exams in October and November last year.
The Rhenish High School learner with a beaming bright smile of joy was serenaded with well wishes from Basic Education Minister Angie Motshekga, Deputy Minister Reginah Mhaule and Western Cape Education Minister David Maynier as she was announced the best of the best at an awards and matric results ceremony which took place in Randburg, Johannesburg.
Muller, who was also a dedicated sportswoman representing her school in first team water polo and hockey, told the media she will study mechatronics engineering at the University of Stellenbosch this year.
The Class of 2023 produced the best matric results in South Africa’s democratic dispensation, with a 82.9% pass rate – which equates to over 572,000 pupils passing their matric exams.
This represented a 2.8 percentage point increase from the 80.1% achieved in 2022.
There has been improvement in the gateway subjects as well, with 63% of learners passing maths in 2023 compared to 53.8% in 2020.
In terms of physical sciences, 76.2% passed in 2023, compared to 65.8% in 2020.
There were also 674 public schools around the country that achieved a 100% pass rate.
Reflecting on the matric results, Motshekga said the generation of the 1960s and 1970s, only 10% passed matric, 30% in the 80s, and this generation, at least 60% of black Africans were achieving matric. She said this was according to the Household Survey.
All provinces performed better than they did in 2022, with the smallest increases being marginal 0.1 percentage point increases and the most – between 4 and 6 percentage points, in the case of Limpopo and the Eastern Cape, respectively.
Muller, meanwhile, has offered words of advice and encouragement for the Class of 2024.
“Enjoy your year, it’s (going to be) a jam-packed year. It will get overwhelming, have a support system, your family, ask them for help when needed. I think also stay up to date with your school work, it will help you identify problem areas early on, which will help you avoid the stress of cramming the night before exams,” she said.
“My family were very supportive because I get very stressed out during exams and my mom was always checking if I am okay and if I needed anything,” she said, adding that she had incredible support at school as well,” said Muller.
Meanwhile, can clarify a viral video on social media of matric top achiever Simlindele Khumalo of Masibumbane High School in Ulundi, who was prematurely announced as the number one best performing learner among his classmates before the awards ceremony.
Khumalo was in fact named as the number two best performing learner among Quintile 4 schools in the country. The full list of winners can be found below.
This is being clarified after scores of people questioned if Muller was indeed number one after they believed it was Khumalo through the viral video.
The other big winners unveiled on the night were as follows.
Top Learner at Quintile 5
Note: Quintile 5 schools are well-resourced fee-paying public schools, known as former Model C schools. They receive the least government assistance.
3. WESTVILLE BOYS HIGH, KZN – JASKARAN MOOPANAR RAJARUTHNAM
2. WYNBERG BOYS’ HIGH, WC – JARED RYAN BENN
1. RHENISH GIRLS’ HIGH, WC – MELISSA MULLER
Top Learner at Quintile 4
Quintile 4 schools are resourced fee-paying public schools, normally in working class communities.
3. KHOMBINDLELA HIGH, KZN, ZIPHOZENKOSI SIBONGAKONKE MNTAMBO
2. MASIBUMBANE HIGH, KZN, SIMLINDELE THANDOLWETHU KHUMALO
1. SIDELILE HIGH, KZN, UPHILE SHANGE
Top Learner at Quintile 3
Quintile 3 schools are the more resourced of the no-fee schools. They receive considerable government assistance in funding and running of the school, including provisions for the learner population to benefit from the National School Nutrition Programme (NSNP) – which is often referred to as the feeding schemes.
3. SIPHESIHLE SECONDARY, KZN, ZONKE HOPE THWALA
2. SELELEKELA SECONDARY, FS, KAMOHELO KATLEHO NEO MOSIKILI
1. BOKAMOSO SENIOR SECONDARY, LP, NTHABISENG LEFOPHANA
Top Learner at Quintile 2
Quintile 2 are no-fee schools receiving the maximum financial support and government assistance, including NSNP and other interventions.
3. SERITARITA SECONDARY, LP, JONAS KGAKISHI MOSHABI
2. PATRICK RAMAANO SECONDARY, LP, MAVHUNGU REMONIA MBEDZI
1. KADWA SECONDARY, KZN, BONUKWENZA THANDOLWETHU MTSHALI
Top Learner at Quintile 1
Quintile 1 schools are the most under-resourced no-fee schools and receive the maximum government spending per learner. Learners at these schools rely on NSNP, social assistance programmes, stationery and other government-led interventions.
3. SIMTFOLILE SECONDARY SCHOOL, KZN, IRVIS ZIBUSISO CHISALE
2. NTULABAKAYISE SECONDARY SCHOOL, KZN, NOMFUNDO NELISWA MTHEMBU
1. MANDLA MTHETHWA SCHOOL OF EXCELLENCE, KZN, OLWETHU KUHLEKONKE KHUMALO
Overall Top Learner
PUBLIC SCHOOLS – MELISSA MULLER
INDEPENDENT SCHOOLS – ETHAN MYERS
Note: The independent schools above are those that take part in the NSC exam. They are not to be confused with those who take part in the IEB exams.
Top Learner – Special Needs School
3. ATHLONE SKOOL VIR BLINDES, WC, NIZIBONE VICTOR MAPOLISA
2. SETOTOLWANE SECONDARY, LP, KARABO PRINCE MODIKA
1. ATHLONE SKOOL VIR BLINDES, WC, SAMKELO GUMADA
Top Learner – Sign Language School
3. KWATHINTWA SCHOOL FOR THE DEAF, KZN, ASANDA MCHUNU
2. DE LA BAT-SKOOL, WC, AMAHLE JEMANE
1. KWATHINTWA SCHOOL FOR THE DEAF, KZN, XOLISWA NKABINDE
Top Learner – Technical Science
3. INDONSA HIGH SCHOOL, KZN, ZETHEMBE LIHLE MBHELE
2. MADIBA SECONDARY SCHOOL, GP, THAKASILE AYABONGA ZUNGU
1. EDENRIDGE SECONDARY, GP, SIFANELE VINCENT KAMTE
Top Learner – Physical Science
3. SIDELILE HIGH SCHOOL, KZN, UPHILE SHANGE
2. KWAMHLANGA SECONDARY SCHOOL, MP, BHEKUMUZI ELIAH MNISI
1. WYNBERG BOYS’ HIGH, WC, JARED RYAN BENN
Top Learner – Technical Maths
3. EDENRIDGE SECONDARY SCHOOL, GP, SIFANELE VINCENT KAMTE
2. DD MABUZA COMPREHENSIVE SCHOOL, MP, SIYABONGA VUMA
1. DD MABUZA COMPREHENSIVE SCHOOL, MP, ENNOCENT MENZI MBIMBILI
Top Learner – Mathematics
3. WESTVILLE BOYS HIGH, KZN, JAMES MICHAEL DENT
2. HOëRSKOOL OOS-MOOT, WC, JEAN GOODEY
1. RHENISH GIRLS’ HIGH, WC, MELISSA MULLER
The various provincial education departments are expected to host their own matric awards ceremonies from Friday.
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