As South Africa celebrates the remarkable achievement of the Class of 2024 with the highest matric pass rate in the country’s history, the moment has been bittersweet for some, especially for a young woman from KwaZulu-Natal. Lihle Sishi, an 18-year-old from Durban, had dreamt of entering university to pursue a career in pharmacy, but instead, she now faces the painful reality of not sitting for her final exams. Her story sheds light on the emotional and academic struggles many students face and raises questions about the pressures placed on learners in the pursuit of high pass rates.
Sishi, a matriculant in 2024, began the school year facing severe challenges. The death of a loved one deeply affected her, leading to mental health struggles that made it difficult for her to focus on her studies. Despite these personal setbacks, Sishi remained determined to turn things around and fulfill her dream of studying at university. However, things took a devastating turn during the second term when she was called into a meeting by one of her teachers.
At first, Sishi felt a sense of relief, thinking that the teacher might offer her support to catch up academically. But her expectations were shattered when the teacher reportedly told her not to register for the final exams. According to Sishi, the teacher bluntly told her that she would fail anyway and that her participation in the exams would harm the school’s reputation and rankings. The teacher allegedly emphasized that Sishi’s failure would jeopardize the school’s standing, which was something that the institution prized highly.
Sishi claimed that she was pressured into agreeing with the teacher’s suggestion, even though she did not want to withdraw from the exams. She said that the teacher made her feel useless, as if her worth as a student and as a person was tied to her academic performance. “Before I had difficulty with my grades, I was an average student. I passed but was not exceptional. All this was brought up to guilt me into agreeing with her,” she said.
Despite the emotional weight of the situation, Sishi’s resolve remains unbroken. While she ultimately agreed to not register for the exams, she is determined to prove her teacher wrong. She has set her sights on applying for supplementary exams and securing a better future for herself. Sishi expressed her admiration for the Class of 2024 and congratulated them on their success. “I can’t wait to join them,” she said with determination.
Her experience is not an isolated one, according to other educators. Nokwanda Zondo, a teacher at a high school in Pietermaritzburg, revealed that in some cases, learners who are struggling academically are discouraged from registering for the final exams. “If they are going to fail, why bother registering for the exams in the first place? These learners only bring down the school’s pass rate and reflect badly on the teachers. It’s a better look for everyone if they opt out,” Zondo explained. However, Zondo denied that students are ever forced into this decision, adding that teachers are simply trying to avoid what they perceive as an inevitable failure that could harm the school’s image.
Despite these challenges, the Department of Basic Education announced that the Class of 2024 had achieved an impressive pass rate of 87.3%, surpassing last year’s rate of 82.9%. This historic achievement reflects the hard work and dedication of many students across the country, but it also highlights the pressures placed on schools and teachers to maintain high pass rates, sometimes at the cost of individual students’ well-being.
For Sishi, the road ahead may be difficult, but she remains focused on her goals. Her story serves as a reminder that while academic success is important, it should never come at the expense of a student’s mental health, self-worth, or future aspirations.
