The Independent Examinations Board (IEB) has released the matric results for 2024, with class of 2024 at St John’s College in Johannesburg achieving a 100% pass rate, and 124 learners securing bachelor’s degree passes.
“The class of 2024 holds a special place in my heart, as we began our journeys at St John’s together five years ago,” said the school’s headmaster, Stuart West.
“Through challenges and triumphs, including the shadow of the pandemic, the class of 2024 reclaimed the fullness of college life with spirit, tenacity, and joy while striving for the highest academic standards. It has been an honour to witness their growth and leadership.”
Among its 125 matriculants, a total of 401 distinctions were obtained: two learners achieved nine distinctions, 11 got eight distinctions, seven achieved seven distinctions and seven got six distinctions.
The college said that as part of its commitment to nurture excellence in science, technology, engineering and maths (STEM), the class of 2024 achieved remarkable success in subjects that “prepare students for the modern world”.
The college reported that 86% of learners took maths, higher than the IEB average of 58%. The St John’s matriculants achieved a maths average of 77%, outperforming the IEB average by 11%.
Two-thirds of the matrics took physical science as a subject, compared with IEB school’s average of 37%, and achieved a subject average of 69%, 8% above the IEB average.
And 70% of St John’s learners chose life sciences, achieving an average of 73%, 6% above the IEB average.
Gabrielle Wills, a senior researcher at Stellenbosch University, emphasised the importance of STEM results at matric level for being a “key predictor of academic readiness for university success”.
The St John’s class of 2024 achieved an average of 77% in their English exams, 7% above the IEB average. And in dramatic arts, 32 matriculants achieved an average of 88%.
“By excelling across STEM and humanities subjects, the class of 2024 emerges with a world-class education that has prepared them for access to and success in the top academic institutions in South Africa and worldwide,” said the college in a statement.
Three matriculants, Ashil Bhagwandas, Zac Erasmus and Gregory Pryce, were placed on the IEB Outstanding Achievement list. Rahul Fakira, was placed on the IEB Commendable Achievement list and 16 subject results were placed in the top 1% of all IEB candidates in South Africa.
