It all started in 2014 when the Department of Education created a system of grouping teachers of the same subject within the same circuit, naming them “clusters”, with the purpose of sharing subject information and thus improving the results of the whole circuit.
This method has been proven effective in monitoring the curriculum and in ensuring quality education in the schools.
The physical science group of high school teachers in the Dududu circuit was combined with the Mkhunya circuits during the year 2020.
The team is led by Mr MT Manyoni who is a subject teacher at Zithokozise High School.
The schools within this cluster are Sivelile High School, Qiko High School, Sanywana High School, Phindavele High School, KwaHluzingqondo High and Zithokozise High School. They were later joined by Gugulesizwe and Sukamuva at Mkhunya.
The cluster performed exceptionally well in the 2021 matric physical sciences results.
This was accompanied by quality results when looking at the number of learners who managed to achieve level 4 and above in the final results. Mr Manyoni said that the aim of his cluster was to transform poor villages through science.
“That is why we celebrate if more learners are able to achieve an entrance requirement and not just a pass.”
The cluster enrolled 95 learners at the beginning of the 2021 academic year.
Ninety-two candidates managed to sit the final examination. Seventy-eight candidates passed level 4 and above.
This was the first time the cluster had achieved an 85% pass at cluster level.
Not a single school achieved less than 80%. Hence the desire to host an awards ceremony.
Dignitaries who attended the event included the deputy chief education specialist of Ugu District, Mr Ravin Maharaj, science subject advisor Mrs Khumalo, advisor Khathi, and Mr S Mbhele who spoke about the role of Mr Manyoni as the head of the Scottburgh school library committee.
He also spoke of the importance of encouraging reading for understanding content subjects.
Speaking on behalf of all the principals was Mr Khumalo, the principal of Hluzingqondo said that teamwork amongst educators was the key to achieving success.
As an advisor, Ms Khathi commended the cluster for ensuring an increase in the number of learners taking physical science as a subject.
Mr Ravin Maharaj spoke on the importance of working together to achieve better results.
“Dududu/Mkhunya cluster is one of a kind that displays unity and great effort. Such things need to be acknowledged.
The cluster is among the top clusters in UGU because of such zeal and generosity.”
He said that new strategies needed to be implemented to ensure that the district remained at the top as it has been for the past four years.
Framed letters from some of the previous matric learners were read in public.
Category 1 excellence awards were presented to 6 teachers for achieving an 80 to 99% pass rate.
Recipients included Mr Mngoma (Phindavele), Mr S Mkhize (Phindavele), Miss N Mlaba (Sivelile Secondary), Mr Cili (Sanywana High), Mr BW Mtshali (Sanywana High) and Mr P Azumah (Hluzingqondo High).
Two awards were presented to Mr Meyiwa (Qiko High) Mr MT Manyoni (Zithokozise High School) who had achieved 100% pass rates.
The most co-operative teachers were Mr ME Mthiya (Malangeni Secondary) and Mr F Azumah.
The UGU team of advisors and the cluster convener were presented with awards for exceptional curriculum monitoring.
