Manyano High School achieves remarkable 99.5% pass rate in Khayelitsha

Manyano High School in Khayelitsha has once again asserted itself as a centre of academic excellence after achieving an impressive 99.5% matric pass rate, making it the top-performing high school among the 20 schools in the area.

The achievement marks a significant improvement from last year’s 94.7%, and continues the school’s long-standing record of excellence over the past nine years.

Deputy principal Loyiso Kanzi described the results as the product of sacrifice, discipline, and a collective commitment by teachers and pupils.

“We are a school that prides itself on excellence. Everything we do is done selflessly, and we dedicate most of our time—often away from our families—to ensure that this school succeeds,” said Mr Kanzi.

He said teachers are constantly reminded of the school’s culture of high standards.

“Each and every morning we remind our teachers that this is a school of excellence, and that we must bring nothing but excellence into our classrooms,” he added.

Mr Kanzi acknowledged that the academic year was challenging, particularly due to large class sizes, but said the school responded with structured intervention programmes.

This has been a difficult year with large numbers in classes, but today is a joyous day. It was a hard-fought year, and the results are heartwarming,” he said.

Teachers and pupils attended morning, afternoon, weekend, and holiday classes, with some sessions even held on Sundays.

“Sometimes we had to be here on Sundays. It was a sacrifice, but at the end of the day, it paid off,” Mr Kanzi said.

Out of 198 matric pupils, only one pupil did not pass.

“It is unfortunate that one child did not make it. We were hoping she would be among those who passed, but we are optimistic that this year we will achieve a 100 percent pass rate,” he said.

The quality of the results was equally impressive, with over 75 percent of pupils achieving bachelor's passes, meaning more than 150 pupils qualify for admission to institutions of higher learning. The school also recorded over 100 distinctions.

“These results show quality. The Grade 12 teachers are excited, and the effort they put in is clearly reflected,” said Mr Kanzi.

Manyano High School has consistently maintained a pass rate above 90% for nearly a decade and currently ranks among the top three schools in the district, alongside former Model C schools.

“We are no longer competing only at district or provincial level. We are competing nationally,” he said.

“We believe that a 100 percent pass rate is inevitable.”

He credited the success to early pupil profiling and targeted academic support.

“We started our intervention programmes early. We profiled pupils according to performance, identified those who were struggling, and grouped them so teachers could address specific challenges intentionally,” he said.

Towards the end of the year, the school identified the bottom 30 pupils and implemented intensive day-camp sessions.

“On Fridays, pupils stayed at school from 1pm until midnight, continued on Saturdays, and went home on Sundays to refresh for Monday. There was no time to rest - it was a collective effort,” he said.

Among the top achievers is Akhanya Fuphi, who obtained five distinctions in isiXhosa, English, geography, life sciences, and life orientation.

“I was extremely excited when I saw my results. I kind of knew I would be among the top achievers, but seeing it officially was overwhelming,” she said.

Another standout pupil, Siphumezo Beta, also achieved five distinctions in the same subjects.“I was shaking when I saw my results. I couldn’t believe it,” he said. “This achievement comes from hard work, discipline, and dedication.”