The oldest girls’ school in South Africa with a 30-year streak of a 100% matric pass rate and 4 distinctions per matric student
Rhenish Girls’ High School is South Africa’s oldest girls’ school at 166 years, and is consistently among the highest-achieving public schools in South Africa.
The school was founded in 1860 as a private school by Reverend P.D. Luckhoff, who was the head of the Rhenish Mission Church.
Rhenish Girls’ School was created to educate the daughters of German missionaries in South Africa, and opened in a cottage with only 8 students.
It moved to larger premises which included boarding facilities. Today, the same premises host the P.J. Olivier Art Centre and the Rhenish Institute.
Within six years of its founding, the school’s enrolment had grown to 47 students, no longer serving only missionary families but also the broader Stellenbosch community.
17 years after its founding, in 1877, Rhenish Girls’ High School entered its first female candidates for university examinations.
The school continued to operate through the economic depression of the 1890s, before becoming a public school in 1901.
In the next few years, the school would design its official badge and open a new school building, with the previous facility becoming an administrative and boarding complex.
By 1958, the school had grown so large that it became necessary to split the primary and high schools. This led the high school to move to its current campus in Krigeville.
Rhenish Girls’ High School also boasts the distinction of being one of the first government schools to open its doors to all races in 1991.
The school was also an early adopter of future-thinking concepts, including the launch of a structured eLearning initiative in 2015.
The academic excellence of Rhenish Girls’ High School
Today, Rhenish Girls’ High School is best known for its excellent academic results. It has an unbroken 100% matric pass rate spanning over 30 years.
The school consistently ranks among the highest public schools in South Africa in the “distinctions per candidate” metric.
The matric class of 2025 achieved a 100% pass rate and a 100% Bachelor’s pass rate, averaging over four distinctions per student and an overall class average of 79.08%.
Furthermore, 14 candidates of the 146-strong class, nearly 10% of the matric contingent, achieved an overall average of at least 90%.
“These results reflect not only the commitment and resilience of the Class of 2025, but also the dedication and expertise of our teaching staff,” said Tracey Megom, the school’s principal.
These results followed on from equally impressive matric class results in 2023 and 2024, when Rhenish Girls’ High School was ranked second nationally.
The school is more than an academic powerhouse, however, as it prides itself on nurturing well-rounded individuals.
It supports a diverse set of cultural offerings, including music, debating, public speaking, drama, religious societies, photography and videography, first aid, chess, and more.
It also offers a variety of sports for students to choose from, including hockey, netball, tennis, swimming, water polo, athletics, soccer, and cross-country.
According to the school’s former principal, Helmien Slabber, the school’s success is powered by an “indomitable spirit” that has anchored it throughout its history.
“Through the Boer War, two World Wars and a global pandemic, we have been tested,” explained Slabber.
“But through adversity, on each occasion, a new, stronger and more resilient Rhenisher rises.”
Photos of Rhenish Girls’ High School
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