It comes at the end of a 12-year journey and for many is the last institutional rite of passage into adulthood.
Everyone is interested in the matric results and the questions asked are sometimes probing.
Did you achieve university entrance? Did you pass all your subjects? What were your marks? How many distinctions did you achieve? What was your school’s pass rate? How many distinctions did your class produce?
You will discover in later years, should you qualify for a degree or doctorate, nobody will really care what your results were. They certainly won’t be published in the national press.
So, yes, Grade 12 is a difficult and stressful year. There is no denying that. But your Grade 12 year is also your passport to success.
Some of St Benedict’s College’s top achievers and staff share their thoughts on what it takes to achieve success in your final year of schooling. Follow these tips to set yourself up for the best possible achievement. Even if Grade 12 still lies somewhere in your future, start implementing these tips today to set yourself up for success.
Daniel de Oliviera plans to study Chemical Engineering at the University of the Witwatersrand. His tip for the class of 2015 is to remember to pay attention in class, do exercises after learning a new section, read a lot and be inquisitive. He encourages the class of 2015 to not be disheartened by failure as it eventually breeds success. “Learn from these mistakes and never repeat them”, he said. Daniel also stresses it is important for matriculants to have fun and enjoy themselves.
Devan Falconer leaves St Benedict’s to study BCom (Law) at either the University of Pretoria or University of the Witwatersrand. He encourages the class of 2015 to be actively involved in their school. “Participate and give your best in everything. Set goals, listen in class, ask questions, study hard and work passionately to achieve your goals”, he said.
“Set goals in Grade 8 and persevere,” said Kegan McCullough. He believes that with this kind of attitude no goal is unattainable. Like Devan, Kegan too encourages pupils to be actively involved in their school. He adds it is also important to build good relationships with teachers and peers.
Mr John Brouard, geography teacher and Grade 12 year head had this to say; “Teachers are many things but none more so than creatures of habit and it is this very weakness that you, the cunning Grade 12 student, can exploit to your advantage.
“Teachers, upon finding a question that works, will ensure it is reincarnated in various forms in many exams. So with this little morsel in mind, I urge you to be prepared and the best way in which this can be done is by practice. Practice makes perfect, they say. It also makes perfect sense”, he added.
St Benedict’s College’s congratulate the class of 2014 on their results and wish the class of 2015 an exciting and happy matric year.
