Saheti School in Johannesburg maintained its unbroken record of a 100 percent matric pass rate in the 2008 independent examination board (IEB) further education training National Senior Certificate (NSC) examinations.

Of the 48 pupils, 45 achieved a university exemption, with 42 percent achieving a total of 98 distinctions.

The school's executive head, Anastasia Krystallidis, said: "We applaud our matriculants for having excelled in the new NSC.

"Their achievements are particularly significant in view of the fact that they all carried at least eight subjects and in addition continued to involve themselves fully in all areas of school life up to the very end."

Zelia Sofianos, dux scholar and head girl, was Saheti's top achiever with a full house of eight distinctions.

Zelia, who was ranked in the top 5 percent of IEB pupils in six or more subjects, was also ranked in the top one percent in English, history, life orientation, life sciences, mathematics and physical sciences.

Vasilios Moutafis, head boy, scored nine distinctions for his subjects: accounting, advanced programme maths, English, history, life orientation, maths, maths P3, physical sciences and Greek.

George Pantazopoulos also achieved nine distinctions with his marks in accounting, advanced programme maths, English, history, life orientation, maths, maths P3, physical science and Greek. He was ranked in the top 1 percent of IEB pupils in English and maths.

Stephania Kleovoulou got seven distinctions. Her subjects were Afrikaans, English, life orientation, life sciences, maths, physical science and Greek. She was ranked in the top one percent in life orientation.

Angela Zoumboulis' six distinctions were in life orientation, maths, maths P3, physical sciences, visual arts and Greek. She was ranked in the top one percent of IEB pupils in Visual Arts.

Yiqiong Yang's six distinctions were in advanced programme maths, Chinese, maths (100 percent), maths P3, physical science and Greek. She was ranked in the top one percent in maths and maths P3.