2015 43(1 ) 260 OVERCOMING THE ACHIEVEMENT GAP: THE PERCEPTIONS OF STUDENTS IN TWO HISTORICALLY DISADVANTAGED SOUTH AFRICAN SCHOOLS Prof. K. C. Moloi conniem@vut.ac.za Prof. J.L. van der Walt Hannesv290@gmail.com Prof. F.J. Potgieter Ferdinand.Potgieter@nwu.ac.za Prof C.C. Wolhuter* Charl.Wolhuter@nwu.ac.za North-West University Potchefstroom Campus Abstract This paper reports on two historically disadvantaged South African schools that managed to overcome the perennial problem of the achievement gap (as measured