It was a day filled to the brim with emotions at Sinenjongo High School, as the class of 2021 received their senior certificates on Friday, 21 January 2022. There were tears of joy, cries of jubilation and dancing as learners accepted their results.
With a pass rate of 91%, up from 88% the previous year, the school has much to celebrate. The Bachelor’s passes make up 53% of the 261 learners in Grade 12, up from 44%. A total 133 distinctions were tallied.
In her speech to the country’s top learners on 20 January, Basic Education Minister Angie Motshekga said that the matric class of 2021 was “literally and figuratively a class of its own”. She commended the matriculants of 2021 after two years of “stop-start” schooling, switching to virtual learning and attending classes on a rotational basis.
Minister Motshekga further said that they were a “class that got the best of Covid-19. They never had a full Grade 11 year and had to write a paper set three years ago before Covid-19.”
Sinenjongo’s results have all the more reason to be celebrated. With the learners hailing from Joe Slovo Park and Dunoon townships, the quality of education as well as the love and passion shown by the staff of Sinenjongo, offer an opportunity for these youngsters to rise beyond challenging circumstances to create a better future.
Top learner, Efremo Simango achieved distinctions in all of his subjects, seven in total. Greeted by a loud and happy exultation on his arrival, Efremo could not stop smiling.
“It’s an incredible feeling! I have always worked hard and have been the top learner in every grade, since I was in Grade 2.”
Efremo has been accepted for Mechatronic Engineering at the University of Cape Town. “I just received the confirmation this morning”, he says happily.
He might be a serious academic, but he is also a budding videographer. Together with his classmates, they produced a short film entitled “What Peace Means to Us” that won first place in the The Rotary International Peace Global Grant Culmination Program. The awards were judged by international judges and coordinated by Dr. Bettye Walker, Peace Chair, Rotary Club of Downtown Los Angeles. (Watch it here https://youtu.be/elqDDj6bYZk )
Siphosethu Twetwela and Simnikiwe Manengele share second place overall with five distinctions each. Siphosethu has been accepted at the University of Cape Town to study Electrical Engineering.
When Simnikiwe received her results, she couldn’t stop tears of joy from flowing freely, an expression of relief and disbelief at what she achieved in uniquely challenging circumstances. With the additional responsibility of caring for her baby born in April this year, Simnikiwe beat all the odds to share second place with Siphosethu.
Asanele Tamsanqa, recipient of the Maggie Rowley Sinenjongo Assistance Fund (MRSAF) received four distinctions and is in third place overall. She has been accepted for BPharm at the University of the Western Cape. Read more about her here.
Sisipho Mzolisa was the top learner of the general subject learners with four distinctions.
For the last 15 years, Rabie’s CSI focus has shifted predominantly to education. In 2007 we adopted the Sinenjongo High School as the major beneficiary of our Corporate Social Investment programme.
Rabie formed the Marconi Beam Schools Trust in 2007, which is a registered non-profit organisation. Through the assistance of donors and philanthropists, as well as contributions by Rabie, the Marconi Beam Schools Trust funds the additional teachers at Sinenjongo High School. It is through this Trust that the Maggie Rowley Sinenjongo Assistance Fund is also funded.
Philanthropists and donors are welcome to contribute towards the Marconi Beam Schools Trust and a Section 18A certificate will be issued. For further information, kindly contact us via info@rabie.co.za.
