Christel House outperforms Western Cape matric averages, celebrating 25 years of impact

Christel House South Africa, an independent non-profit school in Ottery serving learners from 29 under-resourced communities in Cape Town, has recorded a 96% matric pass rate for the Class of 2025, with 70% of candidates achieving Bachelor passes.

For Christel House, matric results represent far more than academic achievement. They mark a turning point in the lives of learners, their families, and the wider communities they come from. The school provides no-fee, trauma-informed education and holistic support for learners living on the poverty line, with a focus on improving long-term socio-economic outcomes.

To support matric students, Christel House runs initiatives such as the Matric Intensive Programme, transforming the multipurpose hall into a dorm and study hub during exams. Students remain on campus in a safe, distraction-free space, benefitting from nutritious meals and after-hours mentorship from teachers. The 56-learner 2025 matric cohort collectively achieved 26 subject distinctions.

Dr Ronald Fortune, Chief Academic Officer at Christel House South Africa, said: “While we are immensely proud of our 2025 matric learners and the many commendable results they achieved, it’s important to remember that beyond these statistics are powerful student stories of ambition and purpose.”

Top-performing student and Valedictorian Alique J, from Hanover Park, achieved four distinctions and has been provisionally accepted to Stellenbosch University to study Occupational Therapy. Alique, who joined Christel House in Grade R, faced immense personal challenges, including the loss of his mother two years ago. He credits the school’s support for helping him overcome these hardships: “I wouldn’t be standing here today if it weren’t for Christel House and the incredible staff.”

Alique hopes to make a meaningful difference by assisting children with special needs in his community. His aunt, Nastasja Williams, whose daughter is a 2026 matric student at Christel House, said she is incredibly proud of him:

“He is an example to his younger family members.”

Second-ranked student Kuhle J, from Philippi, earned three distinctions and has been provisionally accepted to study biomedical engineering at Stellenbosch University. She is passionate about women in STEM:

“This field excites me because it allows me to combine my passion for technology, biology, and robotics with my deep desire to help others. I want to use innovative technologies to address healthcare challenges in South Africa.”

While the Western Cape recorded its highest-ever matric pass rate of 88% and a Bachelor pass rate of 49% in 2025, Christel House continues to outperform provincial benchmarks. Dr Fortune emphasised that the results are only one part of the school’s core mission: “Our objective is to see our learners achieve upward economic mobility. We therefore focus on character and career readiness as key components of our curriculum, starting from the age of four. Today, 97% of our alumni are either working or studying, or doing both. That means our students, all from extremely challenging backgrounds, are far more likely to break the cycle of multi-generational poverty and become contributing and responsible citizens.”

Christel House extends support beyond matric through its Career Development Programme, which provides up to five years of post-matric mentorship, tertiary guidance, and employment readiness, directly addressing South Africa’s youth unemployment crisis.

Looking ahead, Christel House continues to expand. A second cohort of 60 new Grade 8 learners joined in 2026, and a new Grade RR-12 school is planned in the Western Cape, subject to securing land.