Nwabisa Msutwana-Stemela
4 January 2009
Despite coming from disadvantaged backgrounds, pupils at a Khayelitsha school specialising in maths and science clinched a 100 percent matric pass rate.
Pupils from the Centre for Science and Technology (Cosat) in the centre of Khayelitsha have outdone themselves and four, Bomi Cholidiza, Lindokuhle Basini, Tholakele Sabela and Maneo Makwa, even obtained distinctions in various subjects.
Principal Phadiela Cooper said because of the new outcomes-based education (OBE) curriculum teachers had not known exactly what to do and it had been a "learning curve for everyone".
She said both teachers and the pupils had gone the extra mile and had been committed to their work.
According to Cooper, the teachers had been strict with the pupils and pushed them to their limits. The difficult circumstances the pupils faced at their homes had made them stronger and more determined to succeed.
She added that because their school starts from Grade 10 they had been "accused" of stealing top pupils from other schools by the neighbouring schools, but this was not the case.
Cooper said many people had the "wrong perception" that children who came from disadvantaged backgrounds were not capable of doing well in subjects such as maths and physical science but the school's excellent pass rate had proven that anyone could succeed in difficult subjects as long as they worked hard.
Matriculant Bomi Cholidiza, 18, who lives with his grandparents and four other extended family members in his grandparents' house in Khayelitsha, described the year as "very tough and rough" because there was a lot of work that needed to be done.
One of the challenges he faced was not having Internet access for his projects, so he had to stay behind at school and catch up on his work.
He said his mother, Nompumelelo Cholidiza, had been against the idea of his attending the school because it concentrated on science and maths but he had found it was like any other school.
"I am overwhelmed and proud of myself because I worked hard and sacrificed my sleep," he add.
His mother said one of her concerns had been that she would not be able to afford the school fees and her son would meet other children who used drugs and be influenced.
"I am proud of him, he has made the entire family proud. The problem was that I could not monitor his progress and support him because I work in the Eastern Cape and I would always call to find out if he was getting good marks."
Bomi said he now planned to study computer science at the University of the Western Cape.
Top achiever at the school Maneo Makwa, 17, said her parents lived in Mfuleni but she had decided to make a sacrifice and live near the school with her relatives in Mandalay.
"One of the challenges was finding a balance between house chores and school work. I put pressure on myself but made sure that I did not get destroyed in the process." Maneo said she planned to study medicine at Stellenbosch University.
Maneo's guardian, Agnes Mabitle, described her niece as a dedicated person, always studying and competing against herself.
Cooper said the sacrifices everyone made had paid off in the end.
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