Excitement, disappointment and uncertainty are some of the emotions felt by pupils from Rand Girls’ High in Parktown as they collected their matric results on Tuesday morning.
The matric class of 2025 made history with an 88% pass rate, but although they had passed their exams, many pupils found themselves unsure of how to feel about their individual subject marks.
Nana Sithole from Alexandra travelled to the school at 8am to collect her statement at 9am on Tuesday. However, a delay at the school’s administration office prolonged her anxiety.
I am happy that I passed and that I got one distinction, but I am disappointed that I didn’t get more
— Nana Sithole
“I knew from last night I had passed with a bachelor’s degree, having already checked online, but I was more nervous about my actual performance and what I got for certain subjects,” she said.
Laughing as she looked at the piece of paper in her hand, Sithole said she was slightly disappointed with her marks for maths literacy and history.
“I just can’t believe it. I am happy that I passed and that I got one distinction, but I am disappointed that I didn’t get more, especially for maths lit and history. I can’t even look at my maths lit mark because it shocks me,” she said.
“Don’t get me wrong, I am happy that I got a distinction in Zulu, but I thought I did better,” she added.
Sithole said she had applied to several universities, including the University of the Witwatersrand and the Durban University of Technology (DUT).
“I want to study logistics management, and I am hoping I get accepted at DUT,” she said.
Meanwhile, 19-year-old Bongi Ndlovu said she plans to upgrade her marks after achieving a diploma pass.
“I honestly don’t know how to feel about my marks. I am happy that I passed, but I still don’t know how to feel. I don’t even know what I want to do or become,” she said.
Ndlovu said she spent the festive season thinking about which career path to follow.
“I even wanted to take a gap year so that I could get an idea of the type of career I want. Even when I was studying and writing the exams, I didn’t have a sense of direction or curiosity about a career. This diploma, in a way, forces me to upgrade my marks, giving me the year I wanted but also time to think about what I need to do,” she said.
Rands Girl High obtained a 94.4% average pass rate — down slightly from 2024’s 95%.
Lakheni Mavango, 18, who aspires to enter politics, said she will be studying law at Rhodes University.
“I want to do something about the state of the country because there is just so much going wrong, especially for women, and I want to play a role in fixing it,” she said. “I didn’t want to study politics directly, but to start with law and then move in that direction, because that’s what is really pulling me now.”
Mavango achieved a bachelor’s pass with one distinction in history and three subjects at 79%, which she plans to have re-marked.
“I want distinctions, and I think I can get them. My teachers also encouraged me to have them re-marked. I am not upset about the marks I got, but I still want distinctions,” she said.
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