The small Afrikaans school that achieved a 100% matric pass rate for 26 years and was crowned the best in its province

Ferdinand Postma High School in Potchefstroom has achieved a 100% pass rate for 26 consecutive years and was crowned the best school in the North West.

It was ranked thirteenth nationally among Afrikaans schools based on the percentage of distinctions per candidate.

Ferdinand Postma High School dates back to 1904, when Reverend ML Fick of the Dutch Reformed Church toured Europe to research technical and vocational training.

On his return to South Africa, he founded a trade school in Potchefstroom in 1906, which initially provided practical training to local orphans.

Later, the school was divided, and the domestic science school for girls became Ferdinand Postma High School.

The school was named after Ferdinand Postma, the first rector of Potchefstroom University for Christian Higher Education in Potchefstroom.

He was involved in establishing the first Afrikaans School in Potchefstroom, called Potchefstroom Gimnasium.

However, the school which carried his name was the smaller Ferdinand Postma High School in the same town.

For many decades, the school did not match up to larger schools in Potchefstroom. However, this changed over the last three decades.

Its focus on academic performance made it one of the top-performing schools in South Africa in the annual matric exams.

It has achieved a 100% matric pass rate for 26 consecutive years and was crowned the top-performing school in the province based on its results.

It also consistently ranks among the top Afrikaans schools for the number of distinctions per candidate.

Ferdinand Postma High School today

Ferdinand Postma High School, known as Ferdies, adjusted its language policy to accommodate a multicultural learner base.

Today, it is a co-ed, dual-medium school that provides boarding facilities for students from outside Potchefstroom.

Although it is much smaller than most top high schools, it offers a wide range of sports and cultural activities. This includes athletics, rugby, choir, and drama​.

Ferdies’ learners participate in and win regional commendations at the annual ATKV public speaking and provincial Afrikaans and English debating competitions.

However, its strength remains academics, and there it continues to innovate to ensure it produces top results year after year.

As part of its efforts to ensure academic excellence, it established the SETH Academy in collaboration with North West University for learners in grades 8 to 12.

SETH is an acronym for Science, Engineering, Technology, and Health, and the academy focuses on developing soft skills.

These skills include time management, teamwork, problem-solving, and endurance. It also exposes learners to different career possibilities within the SETH fields.

“The SETH-Academy was founded in 2012 and continues to go from strength to strength with the assistance of all our industry partners,” the school said.

Learners participating in the SETH Academy consistently earn regional awards, medals, and distinctions.

These include strong performances at the Eskom Expo for Young Scientists and at university-hosted innovation competitions.

Apart from its 100% matric pass rate, Ferdinand Postma High School is known for its high percentage of Bachelor’s degree passes.

This means that many of the school’s former students have excelled in specialised academic, engineering, medical, and scientific fields.

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Ferdinand Postma High School photos

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