Girls have claimed the top spot in the National Senior Certificate Examinations in Mpumalanga for five consecutive years, highlighting the growing academic strength and resilience of the girl child.

Since 2021, the province’s overall top achievers have all been female learners from different districts, a trend education authorities say reflects sustained progress in empowering girls through education.

In 2021, the province’s top achiever was Kgothatso Angela Gugu Mphaka from KwaMhlanga Secondary School in the Nkangala District.

The following year, in 2022, the honour went to Bathobile Penelope Nkambule from Highveld Secondary School in the Gert Sibande District.

In 2023, Niandi Coetzee from Hoërskool Nelspruit in the Ehlanzeni District secured the province’s highest academic honour.

The trend continued in 2024 when Gugu Pioneer Libambo from Mphanama Secondary School in Steve Tshwete Local Municipality, within Nkangala District, topped the province.

In 2025, the latest top achiever is Luyanda Ndlozi from Elangwane Secondary School in the Gert Sibande District.

Education officials say the consistent success of girls is not by chance but the result of focused programmes aimed at keeping girls in school.

One of the key initiatives is the Caring Girls Campaign, launched in 2011 by the provincial education department in partnership with the Imbumba Foundation. The campaign focuses on supporting and retaining the girl child in the education system.

Officials say the results now speak for themselves.

The department emphasised that investing in girls’ education brings long-term benefits not only to individuals but also to communities and the province as a whole.