WATCH: Durban school honoured with National Excellence Award

Danville Park Girls' High School received the National Education Excellence Award on Friday and walked away with the honour of being named the top performing public school in the country.

Principal Cally Maddams, who is still overwhelmed by the accolade, says she did not know about the award until she was invited to attend the ceremony in Pretoria and found out that her school came out tops in the country, alongside Eunice High School in Bloemfontein.

The Virginia school achieved a 100% pass rate in the 2015 matric exams. 

All of the matriculants obtained a university pass while 97% of them passed with an aggregate of 60% and above.

Maddams says their current matrics want to follow in the footsteps of their predecessors.

"This year's matrics are very aware that they have a tough act to follow but they're up for the challenge. They really are determined. I've been so impressed with how determined they are if it's possible to even better the results from last year," she said. 

She adds more needs to be done to assure pupils come out tops at the end of their schooling careers. 

"The most critical thing that we need to work on as this country is the provision of well qualified and strongly motivated teachers because that for me is the core of the success of the education system" she said.

Speaking to Newswatch, some of the 2016 matriculants expressed their pride in their school.

"It's a lot of hard work and effort not just from one person but from everyone - including the teachers. We never, ever give up until we reach what we've wanted and what we want to achieve most," one pupil said. 

The Education Department's Elijah Mhlanga says Danville Park Girls' High's achievement should inspires other learners and educators in our province.

"If we have a school that performs at that level in the province which has registered a decline in matric results, it means that there is hope for the schooling system in the province. We would like to see more schools achieving at that level," he said. 

Meanwhile, speaking on disruptions - Mhlanga has also urged communities to allow schooling to take place.

(Photo, video: Chanelle Lutchman)