Western Cape takes home a planeload of National Education Excellence Awards!

31 August 2025 – Statement by Minister David Maynier, Minister of Education Western Cape

Our Western Cape schools and education districts have once again excelled at the National Education Excellence Awards!

The awards took place on Friday 29 August 2025 at the Sandton Convention Centre, and recognise outstanding achievement in terms of quality teaching and learning indicators.

Schools

The Western Cape swept the Top Performing Public Ordinary School in Quintile 5 category!

Hoёr Meisieskool Bloemhof (Cape Winelands) was awarded 1^st place for the second year running, an outstanding achievement for Principal Maré Bosch and the team on this outstanding achievement. 

Rhenish Girls’ High School (Cape Winelands) took 2^nd place, moving up from 3^rd place in the same category last year, while Rustenburg Girls’ High School (Metro Central) was ranked 3^rd. 

Congratulations to these top 3 schools who are demonstrating consistent quality education, having all appeared in the category in previous years.

Two of our schools were also recognised for providing a safe and beautiful physical environment in which their learners can reach their full potential. 

Vredendal Noord Primêre School (West Coast) was awarded 1^st place in the category Upkeep and Maintenance of School Facilities: Primary Schools, while Bridgton Secondary School (Eden and Central Karoo) won the Upkeep and Maintenance of School Facilities: Secondary Schools category. 

Districts

There was even more good news for our education districts, especially in terms of achievement in Mathematics and Science! 

Highest NSC Mathematics Passes 60% and above 2022 – 2024:

1^st – Cape Winelands

2^nd – Metro Central

Highest NSC Participation versus Achievement in Mathematics 2022 – 2024:

1^st – Cape Winelands

2^nd – Eden and Central Karoo

3^rd – Metro North

Highest NSC Physical Science Passes 60% and above 2022 – 2024:

1^st – Cape Winelands

2^nd – Metro Central

Highest NSC Participation versus Achievement in Physical Science 2022 – 2024:

1^st – Cape Winelands

2^nd – Eden and Central Karoo

3^rd – Metro North

Highest NSC Accounting Passes 60% and above 2022 – 2024:

1^st – Cape Winelands

3^rd – Metro Central

Highest NSC Participation versus Achievement in Accounting 2022 – 2024:

1^st – Cape Winelands

Top Performing District serving up to 400 schools:

3^rd – Metro Central

Excellence in District Leadership and Management:

1^st – Metro North

Excellence in Support for Improving Primary Schools Learning Outcomes:

2^nd – Metro Central

We have no idea how they managed to carry all of these awards home on the plane!

Congratulations to our top performing district directors Noel Petersen (Cape Winelands), Brenda Robertson (Metro Central), Jewel Jonkers (Eden and Central Karoo), and Wendy Horn (Metro North), and well done to our district teams for the outstanding support they provide to our learners.

Thank you to all of our officials and school staff who work under extreme pressure every single day to deliver on our vision of quality education for every child, in every classroom, in every school in the Western Cape!