As South Africa celebrates its highest-ever matric pass rate, the achievement is overshadowed for a few, including a woman from KwaZulu-Natal who claims she was coerced into not registering for the final exams.
Lihle Sishi, an 18-year-old from Durban, was in her final year of school in 2024. She shared with IOL that her academic struggles began after the death of a loved one, which led to mental health challenges.
“I was excited about matric. I dreamed of studying pharmacy at university, but it feels like that opportunity was taken from me,” she said.
Sishi faced difficulties in her second term as well and was eventually approached by a teacher for a conversation she thought might be supportive. Instead, she claims the teacher advised her not to register for the exams, telling her she would fail anyway.
“I was initially touched, thinking she wanted to help me improve. But what she said shattered me,” Sishi explained. “She told me I would be doing a disservice to the school by continuing, as it would affect its pass rate and the teachers’ accolades.”
Despite her teacher’s insistence, Sishi resisted but ultimately felt pressured to agree. “Before I started struggling, I was an average student. I passed, but nothing remarkable. The teacher made me feel worthless as a student and a failure as a person,” she said.
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She was eventually told she could apply for supplementary exams instead. Despite this setback, Sishi remains determined to prove herself and build a successful future. She expressed her congratulations to the class of 2024, hoping to join them soon.
Nokwanda Zondo, a teacher at a school in Pietermaritzburg, KZN, confirmed that students with poor grades are often discouraged from registering for the final exams to avoid negatively impacting the school’s pass rate and teachers’ reputations.
While Zondo acknowledged that this happens, she denied the claim that students are forced to drop out of the exams.
Meanwhile, Basic Education Minister Siviwe Gwarube announced that the 2024 National Senior Certificate (NSC) exams had a pass rate of 87.3%, marking a historic achievement for the country.
