Jeppe High School for Boys’ top DUX learner for 2019 Ushair Moonilal has been in the top three since Grade 10.
It recently came as no surprise that he has achieved six distinctions in the senior certificate exams with an average of 86% across all his subjects.
Moonilal missed out on his seventh distinction in mathematics, and he will be applying for a remark.
He attributed his success to working consistently throughout the year and completing tasks and assignments that he was given.
“I found that if you do what you can as quickly as possible you take the pressure off for you to gain in confidence and motivation by knowing that you are ahead of the game, and you won’t have to cram at the last minute,” he said.
He explained that he put full effort into the preliminary exams, and that helped with the finals.
“I worked so hard for the prelims. I was on top of my subjects and preparing for the end of the year was easier,” he said.
“I could never spend all my time studying and I believe that participating fully in school life played a big part in my academic success. I played basketball and soccer, and in my matric year, I ran for the cross-country team.
“I was never in the top teams, but I made lots of friends and enjoyed being part of school in that way. I went on tour to Westville Boys’ High and made friends in Durban that I am still in contact with.”
Moonilal came from Kenton Primary in Alberton and was at Jeppe High from Grade Eight.
“I have no regrets that I chose to come to Jeppe. School is for studying and getting these results means that I have achieved what I set out to do, but there is more to a school than that. I was given opportunities at Jeppe that I would not have been given elsewhere. I have met people and undergone experiences that have changed my life,” he said.
He singles out going to Europe on a cultural and academic tour as one of the highlights of his time at Jeppe and for him, it was an eye-opening experience that he could never have done on his own.
Support from his family has also been a key factor for him.
He has two older sisters who also got distinctions in matric and his parents are both graduates who work in the financial services sector.
With that background, it’s not surprising that Moonilal will be studying accounting this year and become a charted accountant.
He said he got all he ever hoped for and is ready to take on the next step.
