Johannesburg - The Adopt-a-School Foundation has congratulated the 2022 matric class for achieving the second-highest pass rate since the start of democracy.
Established in 2002, the foundation implements a Whole School Development model that goes beyond academic programmes to address basic infrastructure, social influences, curriculum development and school leadership.
The model has helped deliver quality schooling to 643 underprivileged schools across the county through public and private partnerships.
Through the support of the Department of Basic Education and several committed corporate funders, the Adopt-a-School Foundation (AASF) has also assisted numerous high schools in achieving their targeted matric results.
Lefa Freddy Madia was recognised as a top performer at the Free State Provincial Awards. Madia achieved six distinctions and has been accepted at UCT to study mechatronic engineering.
Madia said: “I’m so happy with my matric result. I’m a tech enthusiast; as a child, I always liked to dismantle things, and at home, they called me Mr Fixer. Without support from my teachers, the AASF and the IDC (Industrial Development Corporation), I could not have achieved the six distinctions. I’m grateful for the assistance and support given to Kgabareng School and to me in particular. A wonderful future awaits me. I’m aware of how that has been made possible because of the help I have received."
AASF CEO Steven Lebere said the foundation was proud of the results achieved by Kgabareng and Ngwathe secondary schools. From the 20 high schools adopted by the IDC in 2013, these schools were recognised at the Free State Provincial Awards.
Other IDC schools that performed well in 2022, attaining matric results above 85%, included: Bizimali Secondary School (94.4%) in Nkandla, KwaZulu-Natal (KZN); Welabasha High School (98.4%) in Empangeni, KZN; Setswakgosing High School (92.1%) in Morokweng, North West; Thandokhulu Secondary School (89.9%) in Mowbray, Western Cape; and Thsivhase Secondary School (88.5%) in Thohoyandou, Limpopo.
Tshepo Ramodibe, head of corporate affairs at the IDC, said: “Congratulations on your well-earned success. Notwithstanding the global pandemic and load shedding challenges, you managed to achieve excellent results. We are proud of you all, and we wish you well in your future endeavours. The tenacity and commitment that sustained you last year are a wonderful springboard for the next phase of your lives.”
Lebere concluded that the announcement of the matric results was an exciting time for the foundation.
“Through the performance of adopted schools, the impact of work and investment made by the foundation comes to life. AASF relies purely on its donors. We thank all our donors and supporters. Without their more than R1.2 billion investment, the excellence of our schools would not have been possible. We call on others to become a part of matric results success in the future by supporting Adopt-a-School.”
The Star