Brandvlei Correctional Services inmates who sat for the 2017 matric examinations have raised the bar by recording an impressive 91,7% pass rate.
The inmates have once again shown that they can excel academically regardless of their surroundings.
The inmates have ensured that the matric results of 2017 improved with 10,7% to reach an overall pass rate of 91,7% compared to the 2016 pass rate of 80%.
Two students from Brandvlei, Benyani Silamile and Willie Mars, were the second and third best overall performing learners of the Department of Correctional Services (DCS) nationally, irrespective of the number of distinctions achieved.
Silamile and Mars scored two distinctions each in English First Additional Language and Tourism. Both of them also managed to obtain more than 70% for Afrikaans and Isixhosa Home Language, Life Orientation, Business Studies and Geography.
The top performing learner is Samkelo Mpofana from the Uthubeni Youth Centre who achieved distinctions in Isizulu, English first Additional Language, Life Orientation, History and Tourism.
The 91,7% pass rate attained comprises four bachelors passes, five diploma and two certificate passes.
The centre also achieved a 100% pass rate in Afrikaans and Isixhosa Home Language, English First Additional Language, Life Orientation, Tourism and Geography. The centre also managed to obtain a 83,33% in Business studies and 75% in Mathematical Literacy.
Brandvlei Youth Centre`s full time school was nominated as the second best performing school of DCS nationally with Durban Youth and Barberton Maximum Full Time Schools in the first and third position respectively.
The improved results are a testimony to the continued efforts of the department to centralize education and skills development in the rehabilitation of offenders.
The success of Brandvlei can also be attributed to the dedicated learners, school senior management team, teachers, DCS management and officials as well as the on-going support from the curriculum advisors from the Cape Winelands Education District Office.
