What kind of school is Desmond Mpilo Tutu Secondary School?
Desmond Mpilo Tutu Secondary School is a public secondary school in Paarl, within the Cape Winelands education district of the Western Cape. EMIS records it as a very large school with 1,785 enrolled learners and 51 educators, giving a learner-to-educator ratio of 35:1.
It is classified as Quintile 1 — a government classification based on the surrounding community's socioeconomic profile, not a measure of school quality. It is designated as a no-fee school, so families do not pay tuition fees. Matric candidates write the National Senior Certificate (NSC) administered by the Department of Basic Education.
The school falls within the Drakenstein local municipality. Among 23 Q1 Secondary schools in Western Cape, it has a learner-educator ratio close to the median for similar schools. EMIS classifies the location as urban.
The school is at Funda Street Polar Park Mbekweni 7626, and can be reached on 021 868 2959.
Language of instruction: English
As recorded by the Western Cape Education Department. See Methodology.
Note: The Urban/Rural classification is sourced directly from EMIS and may reflect historical registration data. See Data Limitations.
What You Should Know
No tuition fees
As a Quintile 1 no-fee school, families do not pay school fees. The school receives higher per-learner funding from government.
Large school
This school has 1,785 enrolled learners.
NSC Matric Results
Each year reflects a different cohort. Year-on-year change does not necessarily indicate improvement or decline.
80.5% pass rate in 2025 — 9 Quintile 1 schools in Western Cape scored lower, 13 scored higher.
Each dot is one school. The dashed amber line shows where the typical similar school sits — half score above, half below. Pass rates each year reflect a different group of students.
Source: DBE NSC School Performance Report 2025; subject results: DBE NSC School Subject Reports 2024 & 2025. Methodology
What is the learner-to-educator ratio at Desmond Mpilo Tutu Secondary School?
How many learners there are per educator, compared to schools in the same quintile and phase. The educator count includes teachers, heads of department, and principals — so real class sizes are usually larger than this number suggests.
Fewer learners per educator than 41% of similar schools
(Q1 Secondary schools in Western Cape)
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Distance to Major Centres
By road. Driving times are estimates in free-flowing traffic and exclude congestion.
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Location
What other schools are near Desmond Mpilo Tutu Secondary School?
Other schools within a few kilometres. Proximity does not imply similarity — these schools may serve different phases, quintiles, or communities.
Fewer learners per educator than 10% of similar schools
Fewer learners per educator than 15% of similar schools
Fewer learners per educator than 14% of similar schools
Fewer learners per educator than 3% of similar schools
Fewer learners per educator than 43% of similar schools
Schools serving similar communities
Other public secondary schools in Western Cape with Quintile 1.
Grouped by quintile, phase and province. These schools face similar resource constraints to Desmond Mpilo Tutu Secondary School. This grouping is for browsing and is broader than the peer group used for the matric percentile above.
Fewer learners per educator than 14% of similar schools
Fewer learners per educator than 36% of similar schools
Fewer learners per educator than 77% of similar schools
Frequently Asked Questions
School data: DBE EMIS Q3 2025. Matric results: NSC School Performance Report 2025. Subject results: NSC School Subject Reports 2024 & 2025. Infrastructure: NEIMS/EFMS 2021 (historical). Peer comparisons are based on schools within the same quintile, phase, and province. The learner-educator ratio includes all staff classified as educators — actual class sizes may differ. Learn about our methodology
Some data fields may not be available for all schools. Missing data is shown as '—' or 'Not available'. Source: DBE EMIS Q3 2025.
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