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Cowan High School

Public secondary school · New Brighton, Gqeberha, Eastern Cape · Nelson Mandela district (Unknown circuit)

Cowan High School is a public secondary school in New Brighton, Gqeberha. Its most recent matric class posted a 96.6% pass rate.

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On this page, you will find a full profile of Cowan High School, covering its location, admissions steps, fees and matric performance.

Located in New Brighton, Gqeberha, Cowan High School is a public secondary school. As a quintile Q3 school, it does not charge fees.

1,379
Learners
42
Educators
QQ3 · No fee
Funding status
Public
Sector
Fees and funding

No tuition fees

As a quintile Q3 no-fee school, Cowan High School does not charge school fees. State funding covers its running costs.

Matric results

Three year NSC pass rate

2023 2024 2025

Cowan High School entered 208 candidates for the 2025 National Senior Certificate, achieving a 96.6% pass rate. The pass rate has improved over the past three years.

YearCandidates wroteAchieved NSCPass rate
202316712977.2%
202415214192.8%
202520820196.6%

Source: DBE National Senior Certificate School Performance Reports.

Subjects and results

Subject pass rates

That year, Cowan High School offered results across 10 of the gateway subjects tracked nationally. The best-performing subject was English First Additional Language, with a 100% pass rate.

SubjectWroteAchievedPass rate
Mathematics464291.3%
Mathematical Literacy1099688.1%
Physical Sciences382668.4%
Life Sciences736994.5%
Accounting292689.7%
Business Studies686494.1%
Economics595084.7%
Geography494489.8%
History484491.7%
English First Additional Language157157100.0%

Source: DBE 2024 NSC School Subject Report.

District comparison

Nelson Mandela district

Here is how Cowan High School compares with 5 other schools listed under Nelson Mandela district.

  • Walmer Secondary School is noticeably bigger, teaching 2,290 learners against Cowan High School's 1,379; charges no school fees, quintile Q3; and posted a very similar matric pass rate (96.6% against Cowan High School's 96.6%).
  • Khwezi Lomso Comprehensive School is a similar size to Cowan High School, with 1,736 learners against 1,379; charges no school fees, quintile Q3; and posted a lower matric pass rate, 85.7% against Cowan High School's 96.6%.
  • Ndzondelelo High School sits in roughly the same size range as Cowan High School, at 1,668 learners; charges no school fees, quintile Q3; and posted a lower matric pass rate, 85.7% against Cowan High School's 96.6%.
  • Kwamagxaki Secondary School sits in roughly the same size range as Cowan High School, at 1,655 learners; charges no school fees, quintile Q3; and posted a lower matric pass rate, 93.1% against Cowan High School's 96.6%.
  • Alfonso Arries Primary School is a similar size to Cowan High School, with 1,606 learners against 1,379; is a public primary school, a different phase than Cowan High School; and charges no school fees, quintile Q3.

Gqeberha

And within Gqeberha itself, 5 other schools for a closer comparison.

  • Khwezi Lomso Comprehensive School is a similar size to Cowan High School, with 1,736 learners against 1,379; charges no school fees, quintile Q3; and posted a lower matric pass rate, 85.7% against Cowan High School's 96.6%.
  • Ndzondelelo High School sits in roughly the same size range as Cowan High School, at 1,668 learners; charges no school fees, quintile Q3; and posted a lower matric pass rate, 85.7% against Cowan High School's 96.6%.
  • Kwamagxaki Secondary School sits in roughly the same size range as Cowan High School, at 1,655 learners; charges no school fees, quintile Q3; and posted a lower matric pass rate, 93.1% against Cowan High School's 96.6%.
  • Alfonso Arries Primary School is a similar size to Cowan High School, with 1,606 learners against 1,379; is a public primary school, a different phase than Cowan High School; and charges no school fees, quintile Q3.
  • Douglas Mbopa Secondary School sits in roughly the same size range as Cowan High School, at 1,601 learners; charges no school fees, quintile Q3; and posted a lower matric pass rate, 92.1% against Cowan High School's 96.6%.
Admissions

How to apply

  1. Contact the school directly, using the details below, to confirm 2027 application dates and requirements.
  2. Prepare the standard documents: the learner's birth certificate, immunisation record, most recent report card, and proof of the parent or guardian's address.
  3. Submit the completed application form to the school office, either in person or however the school currently accepts applications.
  4. Wait for confirmation of a place. Provincial education departments coordinate Grade 8 placements for the 2027 school year, so timing can vary.
Provincial admissions

Applying to Cowan High School for 2027

Because Cowan High School is a public school in the Eastern Cape, Grade R, Grade 1 and Grade 8 applications for 2027 run through the province's Eastern Cape Admissions Platform for late applications, while Grades 2 to 7 and 9 to 12 are applied for in person at the preferred school. the full Eastern Cape School Application Process Guide covers the required documents.

Get in touch

Contact and location

Address
20 Madala Street, New Brighton, Gqeberha, 6200
Postal
P O Box 115, New Brighton, 6200
Telephone
041 454 3325
EMIS number
200100139

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Frequently asked questions
Are applications open at Cowan High School?
Application windows are set by the school and the provincial education department rather than on one fixed national calendar, so the surest way to know is to ask Cowan High School directly, on 041 454 3325, what its current 2027 intake dates are.
How do you apply to Cowan High School?
Contact the school directly, using the details below, to confirm 2027 application dates and requirements. Prepare the standard documents: the learner's birth certificate, immunisation record, most recent report card, and proof of the parent or guardian's address. Submit the completed application form to the school office, either in person or however the school currently accepts applications. Wait for confirmation of a place. Provincial education departments coordinate Grade 8 placements for the 2027 school year, so timing can vary.
Is Cowan High School the best school in Gqeberha?
On the numbers that are published, Cowan High School's 96.6% matric pass rate is the highest among the schools we track nearby, ahead of kwaMAGXAKI SECONDARY SCHOOL at 93.1%.
How many other schools are there in Gqeberha besides Cowan High School?
Schoolhive lists at least 10 other schools in and around Gqeberha, including Khwezi Lomso Comprehensive School.
How big are the classes at Cowan High School?
Cowan High School reported 1,379 learners and 42 educators, a school-wide ratio of roughly 33 learners per educator. That's a whole-school average rather than a per-class figure, since actual class sizes vary by grade and subject.
Do you pay school fees at Cowan High School?
No. Cowan High School is a no-fee school, classified quintile Q3 under the national funding norms, so parents are not charged school fees.
What are Cowan High School's matric results like?
Cowan High School's most recent National Senior Certificate pass rate was 96.6%, in 2025. That's up from 77.2% in 2023.
Is Cowan High School a public or private school?
Cowan High School is a public secondary school. It falls under the government schooling system and receives state funding.
How can I contact Cowan High School?
You can call 041 454 3325. It is located at 20 Madala Street, New Brighton, Gqeberha, 6200.
Related

Related schools in Gqeberha

A few other schools in the New Brighton, Gqeberha area: