By ARETHA LINDEN and ASANDA NINI
Three Eastern Cape pupils among the top 25 pupils from the matric class of 2017 in the country who were lauded by Basic Education Minister Angie Motshekga last night matriculated from rural schools.
They are Phikolomzi Mjikelwa from St James Senior Secondary School in Cofimvaba, Reamohetse Mofitiso from Lehana Senior Secondary School in Mount Fletcher and Mphoentle Piliso from Comfimvaba Senior School School. They are all 17 years old.
At the time of writing, the trio had not been informed of what symbols they had achieved – and in which subjects.
They were flown to Gauteng with their parents and guardians on Wednesday afternoon. Speaking to the Daily Dispatch from the Raddison Blu Hotel in Sandton at a breakfast briefing by the minister yesterday, the jovial achievers could not contain their excitement.
Mphoentle, said this was validation that “rural kids were focused” and that where you come from should not determine where you end up. “Those who thought that rural education was poor are mistaken,” she said. Her mother died when she was three years old and her father left around the same time. She was accompanied by her 63-year-old grandmother and aunt.
Mphoentle said her situation at home motivated her to focus on her studies and strive for excellent results.
“We are a family of seven and live in a four-room house and the only source of income is my grandmother’s pension money. My dream is to change my family’s lives for the better,” she said.
Mphoentle has applied to study medicine at UCT.
Phikolomzi, who was accompanied by his father and uncle, said he knew he would do well, but not to the extent where he would be among the top matric pupils in the country. “This is so exciting. I am now even more confident of the future,” said Phikolomzi.
He said he had not seen his results but was confident that he had aced maths and science and plans to study actuarial science at UCT.
Reamohetse said: “Most people from the rural areas know that the only way out of poverty is through education, hence we become more determined and work even harder to achieve better results.” He plans to further his studies at UCT or Wits University in the actuarial science field. —arethal@dispatch.co.za/ asandan@dispatch.co.za
Province’s top matric trio triumph over adversity
Three Eastern Cape pupils among the top 25 pupils from the matric class of 2017 in the country who were lauded by Basic Education Minister Angie Motshekga last night matriculated from rural schools.
They are Phikolomzi Mjikelwa from St James Senior Secondary School in Cofimvaba, Reamohetse Mofitiso from Lehana Senior Secondary School in Mount Fletcher and Mphoentle Piliso from Comfimvaba Senior School School. They are all 17 years old.
At the time of writing, the trio had not been informed of what symbols they had achieved – and in which subjects.
They were flown to Gauteng with their parents and guardians on Wednesday afternoon. Speaking to the Daily Dispatch from the Raddison Blu Hotel in Sandton at a breakfast briefing by the minister yesterday, the jovial achievers could not contain their excitement.
Mphoentle, said this was validation that “rural kids were focused” and that where you come from should not determine where you end up. “Those who thought that rural education was poor are mistaken,” she said. Her mother died when she was three years old and her father left around the same time. She was accompanied by her 63-year-old grandmother and aunt.
Mphoentle said her situation at home motivated her to focus on her studies and strive for excellent results.
“We are a family of seven and live in a four-room house and the only source of income is my grandmother’s pension money. My dream is to change my family’s lives for the better,” she said.
Mphoentle has applied to study medicine at UCT.
Phikolomzi, who was accompanied by his father and uncle, said he knew he would do well, but not to the extent where he would be among the top matric pupils in the country. “This is so exciting. I am now even more confident of the future,” said Phikolomzi.
He said he had not seen his results but was confident that he had aced maths and science and plans to study actuarial science at UCT.
Reamohetse said: “Most people from the rural areas know that the only way out of poverty is through education, hence we become more determined and work even harder to achieve better results.” He plans to further his studies at UCT or Wits University in the actuarial science field. —arethal@dispatch.co.za/ asandan@dispatch.co.za
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