Outstanding School improvement at Mnyakanya High School
Mnyakanya High School in Nkandla, KwaZulu-Natal, has recently learned that it has obtained a remarkable 93.6 pass rate in the annual 2024 Matriculation (Matric) Examinations; the best ever results in the school’s history.
The year-on-year improvement at the school has been phenomenal – in 2016 only 16.4% of students passed. By 2017 this had risen to 58.5%, in 2020 to 72%, 2021 to 86% and in 2023 to 90.1%. There is little wonder that this remote rural school is gaining attention nationally.
110 students sat the national Matric exams. No less than 60 learners obtained a Bachelors Pass, which is the entry requirement to go to university, 30 learners obtained a Diploma Pass which is the entry requirement for Technical Colleges and 13 learners obtained the Higher Certificates which can provide access to Technical Colleges. 16 students obtained Distinctions in 2 or more subjects with Sisekelo Shandu gaining Distinctions in five different subject areas.
The Department of Education has invited Mnyakanya teachers to a series of celebration events that are scheduled in different parts of King Cetshwayo District Municipalities. 7 educators at the school gained a 100% pass rate in their subject area: TW Ndlanzi (Tourism), NC Nxumalo (Agriculture Science, TN Mkkhize (English Language), SV Ngubane (Geography), N Mngomezulu (History), NZ Zuma (Zulu Language) and Z Langa (Life Orientation).
The parents of Mnyakanya students came to school in great numbers to express their gratitude and excitement about the good results of their children.
Nokwanda Hlongwa's father was the first to arrive at school on the day when the results were released. He was overwhelmed with emotions at his daughter’s success and said:
“The words seem to be not enough to express my feelings of joy and how much I appreciate the work that has been done by Mnyakanya teachers for my daughter. I knew that my daughter's health condition needed a special care and parents’ support all the time. As her parents we did not expect such an incredible result! I wish to thank all Mnyakanya teachers and the principal for acting as my daughter's parents when I was miles away from her. I'm so proud that the Universities have not hesitated to accept her because of her good Matric results."
Nokwanda's father explained why he decided to choose Mnyakanya High School for his daughter even though the school was 180 miles (300 kilometres) away from their home. He said:
"I heard a group of women talking about a school called Mnyakanya in Nkandla which produces quality results, while I was in a bank queue in my local area. I was so interested. Because I didn't know the place or the school, I moved closer to them to get more information. They told me about many extra-curricular activities in this school. From there I started to look for the location and I'm happy that I have witnessed all that they said for myself."
Mnyakanya High School is bringing back hope to many parents of KZN about their children who find it difficult to achieve at school and others who have given up schooling and turned to substance abuse because of losing hope in life. The communities of the surrounding areas have negotiated with the Taxi owners to transport their children to Mnyakanya High School because the bus transport provided by the Government become overloaded. Parents have to pay for the taxis.
Mnyakanya High School enrolled 110 learners for matric exams in 2024. This was a huge number for the school with limited classrooms, teachers and furniture and resources. Learners had to be taught in overcrowded classrooms, with teachers providing additional lessons in the evenings and weekends.
It is not surprising that Mnyakanya High School is in demand and has admitted over 250 new learners in 2025 bringing total enrolment to 1050 students.
School Principal, Mr SV Ngubane, expressed his sincere thanks to all the educators and learners at Mnyakanya for their dedication and hard work saying:
“What we have achieved needs to be fully appreciated. But we need to continue working hard to achieve more in future, so that all learners will achieve what will make them change their family situation for better.”
The Department of Education Ward Manager Ms Priscilia Guliwe passed her words of praise and gratitude to all at the school. Encouraging teachers and students to continue their hard work, she said:
“I’m so proud to mention that Mnyakanya High School has become a talk of the nation, because of all the good news about what is happening in the school. In every corner you will hear good comments from people about Mnyakanya.”
Mnyakanya School together with St. Mary’s School, Menston (UK) are the founding schools of the Bambisanani Partnership and have worked closely together for the benefit of students in both schools for the past 18 years. Mnyakanya is now a very popular school not only for its outstanding examination results but for its sports activities, cultural activities, and international links and educational opportunities through the Bambisanani Partnership. The addition of Computer Literacy as a subject in the school curriculum by the Bambisanani Partnership and Rotary International has been a key factor in increased academic achievement at the school.
David Geldart from the Bambisanani Partnership added, “Mnyakanya School is a school that has been ‘turned around’. In the most difficult of circumstances, it has been transformed through excellent leadership. The teachers and students deserve the utmost praise and congratulations for their outstanding work. Many students travel great distances to attend the school, many routinely walk 2 hours to and from school each day because they want an education. Relatively few resources and class sizes of 60 plus are the norm. There is a shortage of teachers at the school and those that are there go the extra mile continually for their students by working additional hours before school, after school, weekends and holidays! The young people and their educators are an inspiration and students and teachers from other parts of the world have much to learn from their commitment, determination and resilience. This success is achieved against all the odds and is thoroughly deserved. There is no compliancy here, they are focussed on even greater success next year. The Bambisanani Partnership is honoured to be working with such a school and to have made a small contribution to its success. I shudder to think what this school, its educators and its learners would achieve if they had the resources that schools, educators and learners in more affluent parts of the world sometimes take for granted.”
