Sixteen-year-old Njabulo Khumalo from Mdantsane, who passed matric with five distinctions at Nyameko High School, attributes his success to hard work and choosing ambitious friends.
Khumalo, who was 15 when he registered for matric last year at the NU8 school, said an early start at primary school had made him determined to work hard throughout his schooling career.
“I have always been driven by my vision to be a young doctor, a career I have aspired to follow since I was in primary school.
“From then I was dedicated to my books and surrounded myself with friends that were like-minded, because I didn’t want anything to deter me from my vision and my goals.”
Khumalo, the youngest matric pupil in his class, commended his teachers for their efforts.
“Although we didn’t have camps at our school, we had morning and afternoon classes which kept us very busy, then we held study groups, which I often led.”
Despite having always been an achiever at school, he said he was caught off guard when he saw the number of distinctions alongside to his student number. “After a long night of waiting up, camping at the Sasol garage as we waited for the newspaper to arrive in the early hours of the morning, nothing can compare to that first moment when I saw my name with five distinctions.
“It really surprised me because I was only expecting two.”
He scooped distinctions for accounting, physical science, life science, Xhosa and life orientation, and missed one for mathematics by a single mark.
“Now that I have seen my marks I am disappointed I did not get distinctions for English, which I got 76% for, and mathematics, for which I obtained 79%. I was so close!”
His parents, Rooi and Phelisa, said they could not take credit for their son’s success. “To God I give the glory; it has always been His hand at work,” said Phelisa.
Khumalo has been accepted at the University of Pretoria to pursue a degree in chemical engineering, but fears his family may not have the funds to foot the bills. “Even though I wasn’t able to apply to study medicine in time, I have been accepted for my second choice...I later hope to branch into the pharmaceutical industry because I want to work with medication, where I can help heal people,” he said. — mbalit@dispatch.co.za
Armed with five As , Njabulo, 16,plans to 'heal people'
Khumalo, who was 15 when he registered for matric last year at the NU8 school, said an early start at primary school had made him determined to work hard throughout his schooling career.
“I have always been driven by my vision to be a young doctor, a career I have aspired to follow since I was in primary school.
“From then I was dedicated to my books and surrounded myself with friends that were like-minded, because I didn’t want anything to deter me from my vision and my goals.”
Khumalo, the youngest matric pupil in his class, commended his teachers for their efforts.
“Although we didn’t have camps at our school, we had morning and afternoon classes which kept us very busy, then we held study groups, which I often led.”
Despite having always been an achiever at school, he said he was caught off guard when he saw the number of distinctions alongside to his student number. “After a long night of waiting up, camping at the Sasol garage as we waited for the newspaper to arrive in the early hours of the morning, nothing can compare to that first moment when I saw my name with five distinctions.
“It really surprised me because I was only expecting two.”
He scooped distinctions for accounting, physical science, life science, Xhosa and life orientation, and missed one for mathematics by a single mark.
“Now that I have seen my marks I am disappointed I did not get distinctions for English, which I got 76% for, and mathematics, for which I obtained 79%. I was so close!”
His parents, Rooi and Phelisa, said they could not take credit for their son’s success. “To God I give the glory; it has always been His hand at work,” said Phelisa.
Khumalo has been accepted at the University of Pretoria to pursue a degree in chemical engineering, but fears his family may not have the funds to foot the bills. “Even though I wasn’t able to apply to study medicine in time, I have been accepted for my second choice...I later hope to branch into the pharmaceutical industry because I want to work with medication, where I can help heal people,” he said. — mbalit@dispatch.co.za
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