“In a system often under strain, you continue to push forward. You show up with commitment, creativity, and courage.”
This was the congratulatory message for the class of 2025 by the department of basic education minister Siviwe Gwarube on Monday, as the national results are to be released.
She likened this cohort’s experience to that of Sisyphus in a story from Greek mythology, who was a man condemned by Zeus to push a heavy boulder up a steep hill.
“Each time he reached the top, the boulder would roll back down, and he would have to begin again. For many years, I believe this story has been misunderstood. It is often told as a tragedy, a tale of endless suffering and futility. “But the eternal optimist in me believes there is another way to read that story: I don’t believe that man was unhappy,” said Gwarube.
“I believe he found meaning, even joy, in the pursuit itself — in striving, in the discipline of showing up every day to push that boulder upward, knowing the climb mattered even when the summit did not last. Because in the pursuit of excellence, in the act of giving your best, there is dignity, purpose and yes, happiness.”
To the teachers watching from classrooms [and] staff rooms across the country as they prepare to receive learners back to school: this celebration is yours too
— Siviwe Gwarube, basic education minister
She said the story matters as each learner being celebrated on this day knows something about pushing a boulder uphill — “about late nights, early mornings, setbacks, pressure, self-doubt and the quiet decision, again and again, to keep going.
“And today, we gather not just to celebrate the summit you reached but the pursuit of excellence that brought you here,” Gwarube said.
The minister extended gratitude to parents and guardians who have played a part in the journey.
“To the teachers watching from classrooms [and] staff rooms across the country as they prepare to receive learners [for] back to school: this celebration is yours too.
“Teachers are the quiet architects of excellence. You see potential before it becomes visible. You insist on high standards when learners would rather lower them. You correct, guide, encourage, and sometimes simply refuse to give up on a child who may already have given up on themselves,” she added.
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