IN CONVERSATION WITH Bontlefela Serifi is a recent matriculant from the Oprah Winfrey Leadership Academy for Girls.
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OWLAG records 100% bachelor’s pass rate in 2025 matric results
The Oprah Winfrey Leadership Academy for Girls (OWLAG) has achieved a 100% bachelor’s pass rate in the 2025 matric examinations.
All 44 candidates in the class of 2025 qualified for admission to degree studies, with the cohort recording an overall average of 76% across subjects. According to the academy, 43% of examination results were above 80%, while 76% exceeded 70% and 94% were above 60%, reflecting consistent academic performance across the group.
Several learners also ranked among the country’s top achievers, with 5% of pupils placing in the top 1% nationally in Independent Examinations Board (IEB) subjects.
Executive director Gugulethu Ndebele said the class had adopted the motto Zenith when they entered high school — a term symbolising the highest point reached through perseverance.
“At the time the name carried aspiration. In hindsight it carries meaning. It recognises that our pupils reached the top through effort — not certainty, but fortitude,” Ndebele said.
She added that the results challenge commonly held assumptions about academic performance among learners from disadvantaged schooling backgrounds.
“Learning gaps are not fixed within pupils. They respond to context, time and intentional design. When opportunity expands, expectations remain intact and support is sustained, trajectories can shift,” Ndebele said.
Among the 2025 matriculants is Bontlefela Serifi, who served as the SRC Residence Representative for the class of 2025. Serifi achieved a Top 1% national result in IEB English and has expressed a strong interest in technology, leadership and communication.
She is currently exploring technology-focused tertiary studies, with a particular interest in how education and innovation can be used to create meaningful impact within her community.
Ndebele also acknowledged the role of families, educators and support staff, thanking the broader school community for contributing to the learners’ academic journey
The Oprah Winfrey Leadership Academy for Girls (OWLAG) has achieved a 100% bachelor’s pass rate in the 2025 matric examinations.
All 44 candidates in the class of 2025 qualified for admission to degree studies, with the cohort recording an overall average of 76% across subjects. According to the academy, 43% of examination results were above 80%, while 76% exceeded 70% and 94% were above 60%, reflecting consistent academic performance across the group.
Several learners also ranked among the country’s top achievers, with 5% of pupils placing in the top 1% nationally in Independent Examinations Board (IEB) subjects.
Executive director Gugulethu Ndebele said the class had adopted the motto Zenith when they entered high school — a term symbolising the highest point reached through perseverance.
“At the time the name carried aspiration. In hindsight it carries meaning. It recognises that our pupils reached the top through effort — not certainty, but fortitude,” Ndebele said.
She added that the results challenge commonly held assumptions about academic performance among learners from disadvantaged schooling backgrounds.
“Learning gaps are not fixed within pupils. They respond to context, time and intentional design. When opportunity expands, expectations remain intact and support is sustained, trajectories can shift,” Ndebele said.
Among the 2025 matriculants is Bontlefela Serifi, who served as the SRC Residence Representative for the class of 2025. Serifi achieved a Top 1% national result in IEB English and has expressed a strong interest in technology, leadership and communication.
She is currently exploring technology-focused tertiary studies, with a particular interest in how education and innovation can be used to create meaningful impact within her community.
Ndebele also acknowledged the role of families, educators and support staff, thanking the broader school community for contributing to the learners’ academic journey
