Lusinda brings her A-game
IT was determination and grit that not only earned Bizimali High School’s Lusinda Nxumalo seven matric distinctions, but also placed her fourth in the King Cetshwayo district.
As a result, the Mtubatuba resident will now be the first member of her family to attend university, when she pursues a degree in pharmaceutical studies at Wits University later this year.
These results did not come easily for Lusinda, who had to endure walking 4km to and from school every day, and undertake much of her studies by candlelight.
True determination and grit earn Lusinda seven super distinctions
All this during the Covid-19 pandemic and its many school disruptions.
‘I am very happy and pleased with what I have managed to achieve after going through a really tough year,’ said Lusinda.
‘I did not know I could achieve these results and am very proud of myself.
‘Trials did not go that well for me, as I did not prepare adequately enough, which gave me a huge wake-up call going into finals.
‘As a result, I knuckled down and brought my A-game to the finals, and am excited about the results.’
Lusinda said that during the lockdown school closures she had to communicate with her teachers via WhatsApp, who shared educational videos, lessons and past papers with the learners.
‘It was definitely tough and challenging to adapt to this way of learning, as I do not have internet at home.
‘As a result, I used enormous amounts of
data to complete my work, as the bulk of my academic year was done outside of the school grounds.
‘I must really give the credit to my educators though, for stepping up to the plate and delivering under those testing conditions.
‘I was blessed to have the support of my family and friends, but while at boarding school, I had to rely heavily on my dormmates and teachers for strength.’
Lusinda said her mother cried for joy when she heard her results, and was super proud of her achievements.
‘One day I would love to open up my own pharmacy and give back to my community.’
MAINTAINING a 100% pass rate for seven consecutive years, BirdsView Academy matric class of 2020 showed their resilience amid the global pandemic, producing excellent results.
The school’s top learners, Sairusha Govindsamy and Jared Naiken, scored seven and six distinctions respectively.
BirdsView Academy opened its doors in 2010 and saw the first matric class exit in 2014 with flying colours, which it has maintained over the years.
Hard work and consistency paid off for both learners as Sairusha achieved top marks in English, Afrikaans, mathematics, life orientation, physical science, life sciences and geography, while Jared earned distinctions in Afrikaans, mathematics, life orientation, physical science, life science and accounting.
With a class of 13 matric learners, the overall achievements included 28 distinctions and 24 B symbols.
BirdsView Academy Management Council extended its appreciation to the staff and parents in ensuring the school had a successful and safe year through the Covid-19 pandemic.