There’s something special about this Gauteng school

All the schools in Gauteng will reopen on January 17 but‚ by that time‚ Raymond Mhlaba Secondary School will have had a full week of teaching and learning.

This is one of the reason this school has been the shining star for the Gauteng department of education.

Situated in Tshepisong‚ a semi-formal settlement on the outskirts of Soweto‚ Raymond Mhlaba school achieved a 98% matric pass rate in 2017.

This no-fee school is sandwiched by RDP houses on one side and informal housing on the other but its record speaks volumes since it graduated its first matriculants in 2012.

Fallen trees hang on the side of the roads after the storm that hit the province a few days ago. Dirty water runs down the streets. There is also residue of burnt tyres‚ rocks and wood in the middle of the road‚ a reminder of a recent protest in the neighbourhood. The actual narrow road leading to this great institution of excellence is not marked by burnt tyres.

TimesLIVE arrived at the school early on Friday morning. At the entrance were few pupils and support staff. A teacher welcomed TimesLIVE into the office and said the principal‚ Angie Mokiti‚ would not be there because she is at the provincial ceremony where one of the school’s pupils got honours for his excellence.

A few minutes later‚ more teachers arrived. Some in Orlando Pirates jerseys‚ others donned the Springboks colours with shorts. The mood in the office is jovial. Each time the teacher walks in‚ he or she would greet everyone with warm hug and smiles. About an hour later‚ the room was in a buzz as teachers checked on a thick document how their pupils had performed.

Raymond Mhlaba Secondary School’s 98% pass rate in 2017 is a decline from the 100% it scored in 2016 when they were the best performing no-fee school in the province. This time‚ they were the second best. They lost the top spot to Letsibogo Girls’ Secondary School in Meadowlands‚ Soweto.

Deputy principal Moroki Maditse explained that the school was opened in 2009. Maditse joined the school in 2012‚ the first time it had a matric class. In 2017‚ the school had 1 233 pupils‚ 157 of them were matriculants.

Maditse said the school used to have a computer lab sponsored by M-Net but the equipment was stolen. There is a science lab but it is not well equipped and equipment used for experiment is sourced from other schools and the district also assists‚ he said.

There is a library at the school but there is no permanent librarian to run it. For sport‚ there is just one facility - a soccer field.

Since the class of 2012‚ the school has never scored less than 97% in its matric pass rate. Its worst performances were 97.4% in 2014‚ 98.9% in 2015 and 98% in 2017. In the other years - 2012‚ 2013 and 2016 - the school achieved a 100% pass. Actually‚ this school has never had more than three pupils failing matric since it was established.

“I believe in something I can call the tripartite alliance‚ where you got the input of the teachers‚ parents and learners. Without the parents it gets difficult. Some of the learners can go away and become delinquent‚” Maditse said.

He said that when the school realised that six of its Grade 12 pupils could fail because of their home environment‚ it decided to rent a place where learners could stay so that they can focus on school work.

“We wanted the learners to focus on school. We did not want them to be disturbed even by their parents. Some of these learners stayed next to taverns and could not study because of the environment‚” Maditse said.

Only one of the six pupils failed.

Maditse said the demand for enrolment at the school has increased‚ forcing the department to provide mobile classes to match the growth in numbers.

He said the school also uses multiple intervention programmes such as classes after school hours and over weekends. But the secret to success is starting to prepare early.

“We are done with our plans for 2018. All schools will open on January 17 but our matriculants‚ they will start full lessons on January 8.

“We make sure that there is curriculum monitoring. We thoroughly check that each individual teacher is moving with the pace and finish the syllabus in time.”

He also credited the principal for the school’s success. “She is a good manager and great leader. She leads by example. She is teaching Grade 12‚ teaching life sciences. She also takes struggling learners and spends time with them during the holidays to ensure that everybody passes.”