He is one of South Africa's best loved musicians, has toured internationally and made an album that sold half a million copies. But for Sipho "Hotstix" Mabuse there was always something missing: an education.

Forty-four years after he dropped out of school, Mabuse has gone back to the classroom and passed the exams he missed.

His demonstration of the adage that you're never too old has earned praise from president Jacob Zuma.

"I had an unsettled childhood and my parents divorced, so you apply your own devices to get around life," Mabuse, 60, said on Tuesday.

"I started my own band and being in music took me all over the world, but I felt there was something incomplete."

After quitting school at 16, he launched his career as a drummer with the soul group Beaters – a name derived from his greatest inspiration, the Beatles – in the 1970s.

His album Burn Out was a big hit in the 1980s, shifting more than 500,000 copies.

Earlier this year Mabuse enrolled in adult classes near his home in Soweto, Johannesburg, and was the oldest in a group of about 20 including recent school leavers.

"Some were young enough to be my first born," he said. "They were welcoming."

The teachers also got on with the job despite having a celebrity musician in their midst.

"I demanded attention and I demanded to be taught. It made it easier for the teachers."

On one occasion, Mabuse reprimanded one of his classmates for answering a mobile phone during a lesson.

He said: "She blurted out at the top of her voice. I was livid, I said you can't disturb a class just to talk to someone outside. I said I'm old fashioned, I believe in showing respect, we should turn all phones off. She understood and apologised as well."

The effort paid off as Mabuse passed the secondary school leaving exam known as matric in English, history, geography, business economics, accounting, technology and Sesotho (a Bantu language).

His reaction? "I'm elated," he said. "I'm just over the moon. I had set out to do this thing and the joy is indescribable. I really wanted to do it for myself and my late parents. They would be pleased, wherever they are."

Mabuse, who is divorced, said his six children encouraged him. "They said you can't expect us to be educated so much when you're not. I felt I had to lead by example and they're very proud of me."

One of children is the singer Mpho Skeef, who was brought up in London by her mother and stepfather.

Mabuse also has the support of "big brother" Hugh Masekela, a South African trumpeter.

South Africa president Jacob Zuma joined the chorus of praise. "On behalf of the government and the people of South Africa, we extend our sincere congratulations to Mabuse for achieving this amazing milestone at his age," he said.

"You are indeed an inspiration to all of us by showing us that one is never too old for education.

"We admire your tenacity, discipline and your zeal to succeed and wish you well in all your future endeavours."

South Africa's education system is in strife. Fewer than half of all school leavers pass matric. The government admits that 80% of state schools are "dysfunctional", 1,700 lack water and 15,000 have no library.

The education minister is currently facing calls to resign over a failure to deliver textbooks to Limpopo province.

More than one in 10 South Africans is illiterate, according to the UN.

Mabuse, who named one of his sons Biko after black consciousness leader Steve Biko, said: "I wouldn't go as far as saying it's in trouble but there are many challenges that need to be addressed. Remember we came from the apartheid system.

"I'm not saying blame apartheid for the incompetence of government ministers, but we have to be aware of where we've come from."

Now considering studying music at university, he feels that his experience demonstrates the intrinsic value of education.

"The best empowerment you can give to people is to give them an education. Those who rule over the ignorant will rule in perpetuity."

Mabuse is still positively youthful compared to Kenya's oldest pupil, Kimani Nganga Maruge, who started school in 2004 aged 84 and whose story was turned into a film, The First Grader.