KwaZulu-Natal IEB top achievers offer advice to class of 2019

KwaZulu-Natal's top achievers in the 2018 IEB matric exams — which showed a 98.92% pass rate in 2018, up from 98.76% in 2017 — are sharing tips for the class of 2019.

Cenelle Gounden, a top achiever at Durban Girls' College, attributed her success to staying “balanced and grounded" and "working smart rather than very hard".

The 18-year-old from Durban North told TimesLIVE on Thursday that she was happy about notching up seven distinctions — in physics, life sciences, maths, business studies, life orientation, Afrikaans and English.

“I feel very good and I’m quite relieved as well," she said. "I think it’s about staying grounded. I stayed as balanced as possible, spending time with friends to relax. It was about making sure that I'm organised." 

Gounden was full of praise for her parents and teachers. "My parents played a huge role. They helped me through so much, even coming to my room to see me while I was studying. That meant so much. My teachers also supported me even with my personal problems. I asked them for some help all the time and they were there to offer all the support," she said.

Her word of advice for the class of 2019 is that they must remember to "stay balanced and grounded and do everything that you need to do while working smart."

She intends studying medicine at the University of Cape Town (UCT), where she has been conditionally accepted.

One of the top Kearsney College matriculants, Carl Combrinck, believes there is no special way to achieve remarkable results but just putting your head down and focusing on your work throughout the year.

Combrinck, 18, who was the Dux scholar last year, made the Outstanding Achievements list and achieved eight distinctions during the IEB exams.

He achieved eight As in maths (99%), physical sciences (98%), applied maths (96%), information technology (95%), Afrikaans (89%), English (90%), life orientation (93%) and life sciences (89%).

He told TimesLIVE on Thursday: "I'm very excited and I didn't really expect the results I achieved. I have been waiting with bated breath and all nervous, you know, how I am gonna do. So I'm very happy with my results."

However, Combrinck did not have a special way to achieve his results but attributed them to the hard work and effort put in by all the teachers at Kearsney College near Hillcrest, outside Durban.

"I didn't have a special way of studying or anything. I attribute my results to the Kearsney teachers because honestly they have been amazing and they put so much work and effort to all of us and we're grateful for that. It's been long years of waiting," he said.

His advice to the class of 2019: "Just put your head down, focus and work hard."

Now Combrinck intends studying computer sciences at UCT.