With a 98% pass rate the 2021 matric class of Fish Hoek High School has much to celebrate.
The final two years of high school was plagued with uncertain and stressful Covid times.
Fish Hoek High Principal Allison Grobbelaar said overall she is very pleased with the matric results.
“I am very pleased with the results of a 98% pass rate, it is good considering the difficulties pupils have had over the past two years.”
She added that 89% of pupils have access to study at university this year.
“I’m particularly pleased with the personal bests from so many individuals whose perseverance and hard work has paid off. It truly has been a collaborative effort of staff, pupils and parents.”
She said the biggest challenge matriculants faced was the motivation to study.
“I’m talking about the middle and lower group, it is the motivation of why am I studying? Lack of employment, what is the world going to be like. “Dealing with anxiety and stress which was not necessarily academic or school related but societal and Covid might have added or contributed to those and that is where a lot of credit must go to the support systems we have, both at school and which families have offered.”
She added that learners had counsellors and educators to reach out to.
“You identify their other needs, some of them needing reassurance. But on the whole I must say our Grade 12s were pretty resilient.
“There was a far better collaboration this time around and communication between educators, parents and pupils. Parents made sacrifices whether it was their own time or financially getting additional academic support.”
Grobbelaar says the struggles learners faced made them become self disciplined.
“Last year they were able to attend full time and the previous year as Grade 11s they could not. And in certain subjects, the matric exam is still on Grade 11 content in maths, science and life science.
“Grade 12s started attending from mid-year in 2020 and what we have found is that it actually caused pupils to become more self disciplined. It forced them to realise that they need to work on their own.
“What was amazing was it caused more collaboration. Parents were involved, so parents and teachers communicated better.
“There were also people who either volunteered with much reduced charge, offered tutoring, both at school and privately. And we realised that families or parents also went to greater lengths with costs in tutors and things. We know it was a collaborative effort.
The top three matric learners received their honour colours in Grade 11.
“The top three had already received their honours colours when they were in Grade 11, so three of them have above 90% and in addition two others have achieved a criteria equivalent to honours at the end of last year.”
Her message to the class of 2021:
“They have proved that they have resilience, they must know that they have work ethic. They have developed skills other than knowledge. So they are well set up to deal with any challenges, so I want to wish them well.”
