Johannesburg - Headmaster Israel Rakate has a dream of achieving the first 100 percent matric pass rate since his matric classes commenced in 2005.
And 2016 could be the year, thanks to the kindness of a local hospitality business.
Matric pupils from Thebe Ya Tlhatwa Secondary School in North West were given the opportunity of a lifetime when a private game lodge offered them accommodation and an exam venue for final exams.
Rametsi Game Lodge hosted the 55 matrics for the month-long assessment period as an alternative to sleeping at their run-down rural school.
Sienie van der Merwe, owner and manager of the lodge, offered to put the matrics up while they wrote their finals.
“When I went to the school to discuss the planned matric farewell at our lodge, I was told the matrics would be camping’ in the bush at the school. But they have no running water and only two toilets. I asked them how they expected to be able to write exams after sleeping on the ground,” said Van der Merwe.
Rakate told her his matrics had always “camped” at the school to benefit from revision between exams.
Van der Merwe immediately offered to accommodate them during the exams and let them use the conference venue for the assessments.
“The Education Department came to the lodge to inspect the hall and certified it as an official exam venue,” she said.
Rakate said: “Our school, in the village of Koffiekraal, is very old and is one of the most dilapidated ones - it is not conducive to learning.”
He believes being given the opportunity to study under these ideal circumstances will lead to success.
The matric pupils, two teachers, and four parents who are doing the cooking have been at the lodge since October 25.
Rametsi Game Lodge, situated in Swartruggens, is a luxury retreat that boasts 14 species of antelope, including oryx and hartebeest, and a long list of birds.
“The school is 75km from the lodge, so when they had their matric farewell here last month, I also offered to accommodate the matrics for the night so they didn’t need to get home,” said Van der Merwe.
She said the matrics, who were expected to write their last paper on Friday, had put in a lot of effort and deserved to obtain their varsity entrance qualifications. Many, she said, should get distinctions.
One of the matric candidates, Kgomotso Mothobi, is an orphan who stays in the village with her grandmother and a sister, who has three children.
Her sister is unemployed and the family depend on social grants for survival.
The 18-year-old dreams of studying political science and hopes to jumpstart her career by excelling in her matric exams.
Fellow pupil Ditebogo Montlhe said: “Being at the lodge was such a great experience... it was a conducive environment to study and prepare for the exams.”
She said she was optimistic about the results, which are expected in January.
Another pupil, Obakeng Lekabe, said it was wonderful to prepare for the exams while close to nature.
“The environment was so great. There was nothing to disturb us and we were able to prepare close to nature,” he said.
Obakeng, who wants to study mechanical engineering, said he was also hoping for good results.
Rakate said the school was negotiating with Van der Merwe to see if the arrangement could continue with the class of 2017.
“Our school structure is really bad and the lodge has been a great change for both the teachers and the learners,” he said.
He added that, other than bad infrastructure, they were trying to get the pupils away from pressures like alcohol and drugs.
The Star