The Harry Gwala Comprehensive School pupil was being rewarded for his excellent performance in the matric final exams at the school’s prize-giving ceremony, on Tuesday, January 2.
His awards include:
Certificate of Excellence for outstanding performance in the 2014 National Senior Certificate for best learner in geography, life science and mathematics.
Harry Gwala Special Award for outstanding achievement.
Certificate of Excellence and trophy for outstanding performance and overall top priority school pupil in Gauteng.
On Monday, Reginald attended the results announcement ceremony hosted by Minister for Basic Education Angie Motshekga, in Auckland Park
The minister presented him with a first place Excellence Award as the top matric achiever in quintile one.
The 18-year-old obtained distinctions in Xitsonga home language (80 per cent), English second additional language (82 per cent), mathematics (100 per cent), life orientation (96 per cent), geography (100 per cent), life science (100 per cent) and physical science (100 per cent).
Reginald is humble and yet proud as he points out that he did expect to pass, but not as well as he did.
“When my principal came to my house, on Saturday, he told me I had been invited by the minister to attend the results announcement event,” he said.
“I was anxious, because I did not know what to expect.”
It is hard to believe that he did not expect these results, as he has always finished top of his grade.
“I used to get awards in primary school, but at Harry Gwala we never had award ceremonies, although I was number one every term and every year,” he said.
His routine was simple and never changed throughout the year.
During the day he would attend school and then after-school classes until 4.30pm.
When he got home he would do his homework from 6pm to 8pm.
And he always made sure he got to bed by 10pm.
Reginald credits his good marks to the help he received from various school programmes organised for mathematics and science.
“I attended the CBE (Council for Built Environment) for maths and science,” he said.
“Each week we would interchange between mathematics and science.”
His passion for mathematics and physical science started at a young age, when his brother got him hooked on the complexities the subjects presented.
“I used to watch the learning channel with my brother and I started learning about science and gravity; I loved that science laws explained reality,” he said.
Reginald later realised that science and maths are interlinked, and his love for maths was born.
He nurtured his passion by reading his brother’s science and maths textbooks.
“My maths teacher in Grade Nine Mr Magagula, inspired my passion for maths,” he said.
This year he will study Mathematical Science at the University of the Witwatersrand.
“I want to be a maths professor because, since I am going to study the degree, I might as well get to the last level of the field,” said Reginald.
His mother, Martha Champala, said there is no happiness that surpasses seeing her son’s results.
“I am very happy as I was expecting only a pass, but I got more,” she said.
Reginald’s advice for the matriculants of 2015 is to focus.
“They must use every resource they get, attend various educational workshops, ask questions when they can and manage their time, as matric is a short year,” he said.
