Two Eastern Cape matriculants from opposite ends of the schooling spectrum have been named South Africa’s top maths and science performers.
Selbornian Rohin Jain received a first place award while Luvo Luzipho from Cofimvaba clinched second place.
The two were part of a group of matriculants honoured by Basic Education Minister Angie Motshekga on Monday.
Luvo and Rohin were also named top achievers in quintiles three and five respectively, with quintile one being the poorest schools and five largely made up of former model C schools.
Speaking to the Daily Dispatch yesterday, 18-year-old Rohin said he had not always been a top achiever, but had held his ground throughout high school.
He passed matric with 100% in maths and physics, 99% in accounting and 95% in life sciences. His average is 94%.
He said they had received certificates and prizes, including laptops, tablets and phones, at the national ceremony.
The brainiac plays no sport but was the Interact president in his final year, part of the debating society, a prefect and secretary of the prefect body.
He was also vice-chairman of the blood transfusion club.
He plans to start his degree in actuarial sciences at the University of Cape Town (UCT) this year.
“Actuarial sciences is in the field of commerce and I love the way that they can analyse risk and see into the future in a sense, and they can predict markets and so forth – that’s very interesting.
“This provides a unique challenge; I think we all enjoy that challenge, we all get that rush when we solve that unsolvable problem,” Rohin said. His mother, Sophy Jain, said her last-born was determined to achieve.
“He put a goal and he achieved it. I’m very proud of him. Everyone is thrilled with him,” she said.
Acting principal and Rohin’s maths teacher, Max Norman, said: “We’re very proud of him.
“It’s one of those things that makes teaching special.”
Luvo, from St James High School, bagged seven distinctions.
“I’m so happy because I put a lot of work into those subjects, with our physics and maths teachers also going the extra mile in helping us perform at our best,” he said.
Luvo said when he was not studying, he tutored Grade 10 and 11 pupils in the first semester.
He spends his earnings on study guides.
Luvo has also been accepted for an actuarial sciences degree at UCT.
“It’s considered a challenging course with lots of mathematics, a subject that I love, so I’m up for the challenge and I’m willing to study maths further,” he said.
Nondumiso Pika, deputy principal of St James, said: “We are very happy and thrilled with Luvo. We were expecting it though, because from Grade 10 he showed that he was a star.” — vuyiswav@dispatch.co.za
Top matrics from opposite schooling systems
Selbornian Rohin Jain received a first place award while Luvo Luzipho from Cofimvaba clinched second place.
The two were part of a group of matriculants honoured by Basic Education Minister Angie Motshekga on Monday.
Luvo and Rohin were also named top achievers in quintiles three and five respectively, with quintile one being the poorest schools and five largely made up of former model C schools.
Speaking to the Daily Dispatch yesterday, 18-year-old Rohin said he had not always been a top achiever, but had held his ground throughout high school.
He passed matric with 100% in maths and physics, 99% in accounting and 95% in life sciences. His average is 94%.
He said they had received certificates and prizes, including laptops, tablets and phones, at the national ceremony.
The brainiac plays no sport but was the Interact president in his final year, part of the debating society, a prefect and secretary of the prefect body.
He was also vice-chairman of the blood transfusion club.
He plans to start his degree in actuarial sciences at the University of Cape Town (UCT) this year.
“Actuarial sciences is in the field of commerce and I love the way that they can analyse risk and see into the future in a sense, and they can predict markets and so forth – that’s very interesting.
“This provides a unique challenge; I think we all enjoy that challenge, we all get that rush when we solve that unsolvable problem,” Rohin said. His mother, Sophy Jain, said her last-born was determined to achieve.
“He put a goal and he achieved it. I’m very proud of him. Everyone is thrilled with him,” she said.
Acting principal and Rohin’s maths teacher, Max Norman, said: “We’re very proud of him.
“It’s one of those things that makes teaching special.”
Luvo, from St James High School, bagged seven distinctions.
“I’m so happy because I put a lot of work into those subjects, with our physics and maths teachers also going the extra mile in helping us perform at our best,” he said.
Luvo said when he was not studying, he tutored Grade 10 and 11 pupils in the first semester.
He spends his earnings on study guides.
Luvo has also been accepted for an actuarial sciences degree at UCT.
“It’s considered a challenging course with lots of mathematics, a subject that I love, so I’m up for the challenge and I’m willing to study maths further,” he said.
Nondumiso Pika, deputy principal of St James, said: “We are very happy and thrilled with Luvo. We were expecting it though, because from Grade 10 he showed that he was a star.” — vuyiswav@dispatch.co.za
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