Queen’s college blueprint to turnaround education in the heart of the Eastern Cape – Headmaster Janse van der Ryst

South Africa’s education system faces significant challenges, with Grade 5 pupils ranking last globally in mathematics and science, and an alarming 81% of children unable to read for meaning by age 10. Yet, Queen’s College Boys’ High School in Komani, where 94% of students are Xhosa-speaking, defies the odds in a province that lags behind its neighbour, the Western Cape. In an interview with BizNews, Headmaster Janse van der Ryst attributed the success of Queen’s College to six pillars: daily excellence, upholding identity, active participation—where no one is allowed to sit out and everyone attends sports matches until the final whistle—mutual support, community service, and solution-finding. Van der Ryst, a former Boland cricketer, believes this blueprint could be replicated to improve education in the Eastern Cape and other rural areas, such as the Transkei.