Achievers in a class of their own

Some of South Africa's top sports personalities and business leaders passed through the country's private schools.

And it seems the old boys and old girls believe elite schooling is worth the high price tag.

Pick n Pay chairman Raymond Ackerman, who went to Bishops, said private schools tended to offer a wider variety of subjects.

"The benefits of going to Bishops are much stronger today than they were in my day. When I went to Bishops, if you were not good at academics or sport, you really didn't get on too well," said Ackerman.

"But now they have such a wide range of interests and subjects, including art, architecture, all types of music, theatre and photography - and to me that is one of the greatest benefits of Bishops compared with some of the very good government schools," he said.

Hilton College old boy and former Springbok rugby player Wayne Fyvie, who now runs his own business in Durban, said: "Education is a gift to a kid. Being in a boarding school you learn a lot, meet a lot of people, make good friends and open up a host of different networks for after-school life,"

Radio and TV presenter Robert Marawa, who was at Hilton from Grade 8 to 12, said it did not automatically mean the pupil would be successful.

"I know equally successful people who didn't go to private school but have that drive within them. And I know people who have gone to private schools who have not been successful. It's not a hard-and-fast equation that the end product is a Bill Gates," said Marawa.

Marawa did say, however, that the individual attention given to pupils by teachers at private schools was a huge advantage.

Knysna-based businesswoman Joan Lombaard, who matriculated from Kingswood College in 1985, said she was so impressed by her time at the school that she sent her children there. "It's the quality of education that you got. The quality is even better now."

Michaelhouse in the KwaZulu-Natal Midlands has a tradition of sporting success and 157 of the school's old boys have represented 17 countries in 48 different sports.

Hilton College counts the late Judge Arthur Chaskalson among its alumni, and has spawned eight Springbok rugby players, including two captains, Gary Teichmann and Bobby Skinstad.

St Johns in Johannesburg has cricketer Clive Rice among its alumni, while St Stithians weighs in with film director Gavin Hood and Dave Matthews of the Dave Matthews Band.

Pupils at Bishops in Cape Town include billionaire Mark Shuttleworth, diet guru Tim Noakes and cricketer Herschelle Gibbs.

Pupils from elite girls' schools include actress Janet Suzman from Kingsmead College in Johannesburg and activist Sheena Duncan and former Sunday Times columnist Jani Allan from nearby Roedean.