Not all matric pupils are as confident as those at Moses Mnisi High School in Acornhoek.
In Soweto, matrics at Klipspruit West Secondary School have had their studies disrupted by protesting community members in recent months.
Several pupils from Klipspruit West said this week their school's matric pass rate, which was just below 70% last year, would suffer as a result of the disruptions. The problems were caused in part by community demands earlier this year that a coloured principal be appointed, not a black one.
One 17-year-old pupil said matrics had had only one week of teaching since the end of the July holidays.
"We would have liked our teachers to teach us, or give revision classes, before we wrote our preliminary exams in September, but we didn't have that. I wouldn't be surprised if most children failed the preliminary exams."
She said most of her teachers were black and had been prevented from reporting for duty by the governing body. The school's final exam results were going to be "so bad", the schoolgirl said. Pupils knew they could use the disruptions as an excuse if they did badly. Another pupil said it was a great disservice when pupils were taught physical science by a fourth-year university student.
"We were being taught but we didn't learn. I sat in class and was so lost from the beginning of March."
She said some pupils had not taken their studies seriously and truancy was a major problem. "By 10am most of the children are out of the school. It's a super dysfunctional school."
Lillian Ford, 46, a mother of four, said she removed her daughter from the school because children were smoking dagga and bunking class.
We were being taught but we didn't learn. I sat in class and was so lost from the beginning of March
— Pupil at Klipspruit West Secondary School
"This year's results are going to be worse because of the disruptions," said Ford.
A teacher, who did not wish to be identified, said: "Overall it's going to be bad. In some subjects they will do better and in some they won't make it. This will be largely due to the fact that teachers are demoralised."
The Gauteng education department has arranged extra classes for the pupils at other venues.
In a statement this week, the department said the South African Democratic Teachers' Union had agreed that its members would return to work at the school and at 30 others in Eldorado Park where teachers had boycotted classes.
