DURBAN – Former Westville Girls’ High School Class of 2020 top achiever Colombe Obono Eyono advised matric pupils to focus on the way forward.
During her time at Westville Girls’, Obono Eyono excelled in many areas of school life, most notably in her academic pursuits.
She was placed in first position in grades for all five years of her schooling and maintained an A-aggregate (80% or above) throughout.
At the Grade 12 valedictory ceremony, Obono Eyono achieved subject prizes in six of her seven subjects and received recognition for her command of languages as she achieved the top mark in both English (home language) and Afrikaans (first additional language).
Obono Eyono said that she started at Harvard College in August 2021 and was currently approaching her second semester.
“My advice for the class of 2022 is to prioritise their well-being. While this is a tough feat, especially in a society where not everybody has the resources or luxury to do so, focusing on your well-being – especially with regards to mental health – is crucial for succeeding.”
She added that with the release of matric results, it may feel as if the set of marks one receives defines not just their worth, but their identity as well.
“While difficult, I would encourage the class of 2022 to try and de-centralise this type of thinking. If you are content with your performance, celebrate! If not, take time to process your disappointment, talk to your sources of support, and then focus on the way forward. In either scenario, you are all people who mean more than a set of marks.”
The portfolio committee on basic education has commended the matric class of 2021 for their perseverance through very difficult times in South Africa’s education system to complete the National Senior Certificate exams.
During the release of the results, Basic Education Minister Angie Motshekga said that the class of 2021 obtained an overall pass rate of 76.4%, an increase of 0.2% from 2020.
Despite the curriculum challenge that the pupils faced, many also faced social challenges that included dealing with Covid-19-related illnesses and deaths in their families.
The number of candidates qualifying for admission to bachelor studies at universities is 256 031, an improvement of 21.4% from 2020.
Daily News