South Africa's future leaders may well be an all-women team, judging by the results achieved at school level. At the recent excellence awards ceremony held at Silemale Secondary School, girls dominated the top 30 rankings across the different grades.
The annual excellence awards took place on 17 April and were attended by parents, teachers, representatives from the Department of Education, and community leaders. Based on the names listed in the top 30 rankings, it was clear that boys were underrepresented. In some grades, not a single boy was present when the names were announced.
During a separate excellence awards event held at the Damani Church of Christ in January this year, the top six learners who passed matric with distinctions were all female.
One of the parents at last week's ceremony commented that it was a sign the country might soon be led by women. "It's a worrying reflection on our ability as men to lead, but it also shows that while the boys spend time smoking and drinking beer, the girls are reading books," he said.
School principal Mr Mpfariseni Moses Nethathe said the introduction of the excellence awards had helped motivate learners to work harder and achieve better results. "This is our first excellence awards this year, and those who didn't make it into the top 30 still have time to work hard and improve in the next two terms," he said.
Mukololo Vho Tshaka Randima, representing the Khubvi Royal House, conveyed a message from the local headman encouraging learners to take pride in both their academic performance and their village.
"When you don't do well in your exams, you tarnish the image of the village, because this school is located here. When people talk about the school, they also talk about the village. Go and pass with flying colours to make Vhamusanda Vho Randima and the community proud," he said.
The top achievers in the different grades were:
* Grade 8 – Gudani Khavhagali
* Grade 9 – Maemu Radema
* Grade 10 – Uhone Tshibakile
* Grade 11 – Netshedzo Munyai
* Grade 12 – Dimakatso Moja