The school in question, Makobateng Secondary, has gone viral after a screenshot of the 2024 matric results showed just four candidates with a pass symbol next to their exam numbers. Shocked users have been circulating the image, demanding the name of the principal and calling for immediate accountability.
While public frustration is understandable, focusing on exposing a single individual risks missing the deeper issues. A school does not collapse overnight, and it does not collapse because of one person only. When a whole matric class produces four passes, it points to long‑standing problems: overcrowded classrooms, lack of resources, poor subject choices, unstable leadership, absent parents, and a provincial education system that reacts only when a crisis trends.
Instead of turning the principal into a meme, South Africans should be asking harder questions. Was the school properly supported by the district? How many teachers were permanently appointed? Were learners attending regularly? Did parents and the school governing body play their role? And what interventions, if any, were introduced when Grade 10 and 11 results already showed warning signs?
Demanding the principal’s name might satisfy our curiosity for a day, but it will not help the next Grade 12 class sitting in those same desks. What will make a difference is a transparent investigation, practical support for current learners, and a clear recovery plan that involves the community as well as education officials.
The story of Makobateng Secondary should not end with online finger‑pointing. It should be the beginning of an honest conversation about how we are failing township and rural learners long before they even write matric