Minister Ronald Lamola extoled the Department of Correctional Services’ cohort of full-time inmates who sat for the 2019 grade 12 examinations for their excellent achievement, at the Offender Grade 12 Awards Ceremony, held at Tswelopele Correctional Centre in Kimberley, on 9 January 2020. The inmates’ class of 2019 recorded a resounding 82.6% pass rate, surpassing the overall national average pass rate of 81.3%. The performance of the 2019 inmates’ cohort represents a marked improvement of 5.3% compared to the class of 2018 (77.3%).
Altogether, 161 inmate learners sat for the 2019 grade 12 examinations. Of these, 65 achieved bachelor passes. Six, out of 16, full-time correctional centre schools registered a 100% pass rate.
Sandile Stangoni, from Usethubeni Youth Centre in the Durban Management Area, is the best performing learner for 2019, with an average percentage pass rate of 76.5%. Stangoni scored distinctions in English, Maths Literacy, Life Orientation and Tourism. Stangoni said he intends to study Architecture at the University of Cape Town after finishing his sentence.
He was followed in second place by Mandla Malwande, from Cradock Prison School, Cradock Management Area, with an average percentage pass rate of 76,4%, who registered distinctions in isiXhosa, Life Orientation and Business Studies. Lesthego Ganto came in third with an average pass rate of 73.60%, and obtained distinctions in isiXhosa and History. “You have made us proud, and we wish you the very best with your future studies and careers,” said Minister Lamola.
Minister Lamola also thanked the offenders’ next of kin, as well as educators for supporting the inmate learners throughout the 2019 academic year.
Deputy Minister, Nkosi Phathekile Holomisa also lauded the matric class of 2019 for their stupendous achievement. He said the feat achieved reaffirmed Government’s commitment to advance the values of education. “This government is continuously seeking to ensure a progressive realisation of universal schooling, improving quality in education and eliminating disparities,” he said.
Northern Cape MEC for Education Mac Jack commended the inmates’ who bettered the average of all, but two provinces in the country. He congratulated the learners, who despite adversity and difficult learning conditions still performed phenomenally.
