And the first thing she would do if she achieves them is register for an entrepreneurship course so she can kick-start her events management company and support her siblings.

Litler, 20, one of eight siblings, lives in Kempton Park, east of Johannesburg. In 2010 she had to work part time to help take care of her family instead of focusing on her matric exams.

After obtaining poor results that year, she found employment as a hostess for a local hotel group, shelving her dream of becoming a pilot one day.

"My marks were bad because I had to juggle work and school. I sometimes had to completely put my school work aside because I had to look out for my younger brothers."

Today, exactly two years after writing her exams at Sir Pierre Van Ryneveld High School, she will rewrite her matric English exam at Nasrec, south of Johannesburg.

Litler is one of 3040 young people who are part of the "national senior certificate second chance project", an initiative of the National Youth Development Agency.

The initiative offers pupils who failed or are trying to improve their matric marks another opportunity to do so.

The beneficiaries are provided with study guides, additional classes and career guidance.

Litler aims to get an A in maths, B+ in economics and high marks in English.

Segage Sewela, 18, of Limpopo's Maroleng village, is also trying to improve her matric marks. She writes her first exam on Wednesday, and aims for better marks in maths , life science and physical science.

Last year, she failed to qualify to study for medicine because of inadequate matric marks.

She hopes her improved results will land her a bursary to study at Stellenbosch University.

"We are a big family. My mom, siblings, uncle, aunt and their children all live in one house. My aim is to help my mom when I start working," said Sewela.