By Charmaine Ndlela
The Oprah Winfrey Leadership Academy for Girls (OWLAG) on Monday honoured its teachers for their outstanding contribution to the Class of 2025’s exceptional matric performance.
The Class of 2025, also known as the Zenith cohort, achieved a 100% pass rate and a 100% Bachelor’s pass. All 44 learners passed, with a group average of 76% and an average of 2.98 distinctions per learner. More than half of the class obtained three or more distinctions, while 5% ranked among the top 1% nationally in IEB subjects.
The awards recognised departmental teaching excellence using measurable indicators drawn from the Independent Examinations Board (IEB), aligned with national best practice.
Head of Academics Dumisani Tshabalala said the awards reflect the extraordinary journey of the cohort. He said that many learners joined the academy later than usual and experienced disrupted schooling due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Unlike a typical five-year academic journey at OWLAG, some learners spent only two to three years at the school, having faced significant gaps in their foundational education. Tshabalala emphasised that teachers played a critical role in closing these gaps through “compensatory education”.
“In the space of a few years, teachers spent countless hours beyond the normal school day, including weekends, to support learners academically,” he said.
“What they have achieved is nothing short of extraordinary.”
The Teacher Awards, presented at departmental level, highlighted the collective effort behind learner success.
Among the top-performing departments were:
- The Languages Department (Afrikaans FAL & English HL) produced learners in the national Top 1%
- Physical Sciences was recognised as the most improved subject
- IsiZulu First Additional Language achieved 100% distinctions, exceeding the national average by over 13%
- Life Orientation contributed the most distinctions, with all learners scoring above 80%
- Mathematical Literacy recorded 100% of learners above 70%
- Sesotho First Additional Language exceeded the national average by more than 15 percentage points.
A total of 14 teachers were recognised across categories, reflecting a strong culture of collaboration and shared accountability, according to the school.
Guest speaker Chumani Nyati praised teachers for their transformative role, saying the theme “Great Teachers, Greater Impact” reflected the lived reality of education.
“A great teacher does far more than deliver lessons. They create curiosity, inspire belief, and shape the future one learner at a time,” Nyati said.
She added that teachers play a crucial role in fostering belonging and confidence among learners, particularly those from disadvantaged backgrounds.
The school said Monday’s event marked its first year of honouring teachers for their role in the pass rate, and that it would continue to do so moving forward.
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