Turkmen Turzi
Johannesburg - Horizon International High School pupil Kgaogelo Bopape who recently made his nation proud by winning a bronze medal at the 61st International Maths Olympiad is headed to the University of Cape Town.
Bopape from Soweto, achieved a 97 percent pass in Maths and a total of seven As.
Among the subjects Bopape bagged distinctions in were English Home Language, Mathematics, Life Orientation, Engineering Graphics and Design, Life Sciences.
Bopape, who visited his Horizon School to get his matric results, explained that this has been a very difficult year for many students due to the coronavirus, but he was able to use the online communication and resources provided by his school to continue with matric studies despite the lockdowns.
“I did at least seven past papers for each subject before the preliminary and final exams. Because of this, I was able to get 7As and I am quite proud of my achievement. I intend to study Mathematics and Computer Science at the University of Cape Town this year,” he said.
“I am thankful to have a very supportive family, and a very supportive set of teachers. They have helped me significantly throughout this year. The final exam period was six weeks long, and towards the end, it was difficult to stay focused on the task at hand. But my teachers helped keep me on track.”
Bopape who is the first black South African IMO2020 bronze medal winner explained that he received a medal at last year's International Mathematical Olympiad which he wrote during the preliminary examinations.
This made it difficult to balance his attention between the exams and the Olympiad, but he is satisfied with the conclusion of both the Olympiad and the examinations.
Horizon Educational Trust's Star College located in KwaZulu-Natal has excelled, coming in second among the best performing schools in South Africa based on the distinction per a learner ratio for the National Senior Certificate Examinations. The school performed phenomenally well, averaging 3.2 distinctions per learner, with a 100% pass rate.
"The class of 2020 has endured many hardships along the way to success. Our school year came to a halt when the coronavirus pandemic had reached South Africa. As a matric student, I felt much anxiety over the uncertainty of our final year. Thankfully, Star College acted swiftly to help us navigate these unpredictable circumstances.
“Soon after schools closed, they quickly offered online learning to us. Although adapting to online learning was certainly a challenge, I soon became familiar with the new normal." 2020 matriculant Shaylen Pillay recipient of 9 Distinctions with an average of 95.75% shared while detailing his matric adventure.
Advising the Class of 2021 Pillay says: "My advice to the Class of 2021 is to be prepared, use your time wisely, and work hard. It is equally important that you get enough sleep and ensure that you have ample time to relax. A balanced and healthy physical and mental lifestyle is of utmost importance. I have no doubt that you will achieve what you set your minds to."
Star College in KwaZulu-Natal is listed as the second-best performing school of 2020 in South Africa based on the school’s 3.2 distinctions per-learner ratio by education specialists Gradesmatc.
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