Matric Results: IEB top achievers preferred online learning

Celebrating achieving 32 distinctions between them are Kearsney College’s three sets of twins: (back) Wesley (5) and Jared (3) Uys; (middle row) Timothy (7) and Daniel (5) van Tonder; and (front) Wilco (7) and Janko (5) Roets. | SUPPLIED

Celebrating achieving 32 distinctions between them are Kearsney College’s three sets of twins: (back) Wesley (5) and Jared (3) Uys; (middle row) Timothy (7) and Daniel (5) van Tonder; and (front) Wilco (7) and Janko (5) Roets. | SUPPLIED

Published Feb 19, 2021

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Durban - SOME KwaZulu-Natal families are celebrating twice as their twins did exceptionally well in the Independent Examinations Board (IEB) 2020 National Senior Certificate (NSC) examinations.

Some even made it onto the IEB’s outstanding or commendable achievements lists.

Eighteen-year-old twins Zenya and Amera Naicker from Crawford International College North Coast made it onto the IEB’s outstanding achievements list with 15 distinctions between them. Zenya with eight and Amera with seven.

Zenya was happy and proud of her results when considering the Covid-19 pandemic. “2020 was difficult, especially being in class and learning online. It was very difficult because it was new,” she said.

Amera felt relieved that she did well because the year felt like a rush with Covid-19.

“I definitely could have done a lot worse,” said Amera.

She said they continued with online classes because they feared bringing the virus home. Zenya and her mother were asthmatic and they were in contact with their grandparents.

The twins are looking forward to university.

Zenya will be studying towards an Actuarial Science degree at the University of Cape Town (UCT) while Amera will be studying Medicine at UCT.

Zenya and Amera Naicker, 18, have 15 distinctions between them. Zenya with eight and Amera with seven. | SUPPLIED

Kearsney College’s three sets of twins achieved 32 distinctions among them.

The pupils did both online and classroom learning.

Wilco and Janko Roets, 19, had 12 distinctions between them, Wilco with seven and Janko with five.

Wilco was excited and relieved about his results.

He could not learn much online and felt there was a gap between being taught online and understanding.

“Everything was unknown with the pandemic. I didn’t know what the future would hold but I had to do the best in an unfortunate situation,” said Wilco.

Janko said his results were surprising but his hard work paid off.

“I struggled with online and distractions at home. It was difficult to find motivation to work, unlike in school. It was better to go back,” said Janko.

He said he had to continue instead of dropping out.

Wilco wanted to study veterinary science or BSc animal sciences at the University of Pretoria while Janko wanted to study Biological Sciences at the same university.

The Van Tonder twins, Tim and Daniel, 18, also had 12 distinctions between them.

Tim, with seven distinctions, said he was “kind of expecting to do well” because he had spent the last two years working.

“Online was a whole lot easier and I got to work at my own pace,” said Tim.

He had worked quite hard and did not see himself doing matric all over again.

Daniel, with five distinctions, also preferred online learning. He said there were no friends to chat to and no sports after school.

“Online was definitely a change and class started later,” said Daniel.

He just wanted to complete the year and his parents also wanted him to continue with matric in 2020.

Tim planned on studying Accounting at UCT while Daniel would be studying Computer Science.

Eighteen-year-old Wesley and Jared Uys have eight distinctions between them, Wesley with five and Jared with three.

“I’m chuffed,” said Wesley.

He was unhappy in the beginning of the year but he accepted the situation and adapted. When they returned to school it was tough because of the regulations but he had to make the best of it.

“I didn’t want another year and I told myself I was going to push through.”

Jared also took it badly at the start because he had been looking forward to his final year at Kearsney.

However, in the end it was more about finishing the year and continuing rather than starting all over again.

“It was about pushing through it and reaping the rewards,” said Jared.

Wesley and Jared plan on studying BCom Politics, Philosophy and Economics, and BCom Economics with Finance respectively at UCT.

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