The class of 2022 is the absolute embodiment of true ambassadors of public schooling, a meritorious position which they earned, and which is not hereditary.

This was how Basic Education Minister Angie Motshekga described the performance of the country's top matric pupils at public schools.

Motshekga hosted a ministerial breakfast for the top performers from the class of 2022 and their parents at the MTN headquarters in Roodepoort, Gauteng, on Thursday morning.

"You were the group we were extremely concerned about, but you emerged victorious and stood firm against adversity."

She said the class of 2022 did the last two and half years of their schooling under intermittent Covid-19 lockdowns, school closures and various difficulties, including curriculum trimming.

"Nevertheless, you emerged victorious. In the face of adversity, you stood firm. This is a group that showed high levels of resilience. When the putrid smell of failure was intense, you people seemed unacquainted with the concept of failure," Motshekga said.

She praised the pupils for putting in the long hours and avoiding the "well-beaten path to failure by being slack".

"By rubbing shoulders with the top 2022 learners today, I feel goodness and mercy keep following me all the days of my life. Today, we converge for one reason only – to celebrate the best of the very best among us.

"For reasons best known to our critics, public schooling that serves over 12-million learners is often derided and treated as a Cinderella of education," she added.

Motshekga also praised parents for the support and love they gave their children throughout their schooling careers. She said a lot could be drawn from the youth.

"These young people teach us to be focused, determined and hardworking, so it always excites me to have this opportunity," she added.

She said the top achievers showed that success was not "an act, but a habit".

"History will record that to be a top matric learner in 2022 was no mean feat when one considers that we had the largest cohort of learners sitting for matric exams.

"As a nation, we must celebrate our winners because they demonstrate the values of honesty, resilience and tenacity," she added.

Motshekga said a matric certificate was not "just a piece of paper" but had high value.

"It is the only nationally recognised certificate after studying for 12 years at primary and secondary school. It opens doors to the post-schooling sector, bursaries for top learners and even short-term employment opportunities," she said.