GLENWOOD resident and Al-Falaah College graduate, Husnaa Haffejee (17), tied for first place in the National Senior Certificate 2022. The local learner was neck and neck with Kelly Prowse from Rustenburg Girls’ High School in Cape Town.
Speaking to Berea Mail, Haffejee said she had no idea what to expect when she was flown up to Johannesburg on Wednesday for an awards ceremony.
“I didn’t know why I was there – I just knew I would be receiving some sort of award. It completely exceeded my expectations. I thought I might receive a subject award. Of course, there was a lot of happiness; it was also something I put a lot of hard work into. To know that my hard work paid off – there was a huge sense of relief, and I felt very proud of myself,” she said.
The graduate, who achieved an impressive score of 100% for mathematics, physical science and accounting, plans to study medicine at University of KwaZulu Natal this year.
“Medical school is very difficult, and there is a heavy work load. Staying at home would allow me to focus on studying, and I would be able to share household chores and cooking with my family,” she said.
“I hope to study in another province or overseas for my postgraduate studies, at a time when I am a bit older and can properly stand on my own two feet,” added Haffejee.
Her close family bond helped to pave her path to success. “Whenever I doubted myself, my parents would always be there to reassure me. Since they could see me working hard, they would always tell me that they would be proud of me no matter the result. There was pressure from everywhere else but not from my family,” she said.
“Islam places a lot of focus on seeking knowledge and spreading knowledge. There is a lot of emphasis placed on learning and teaching which helped me to stay focused and motivated,” added Haffejee.
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Advice to the Class of 2023
Her motto for success was ‘hard work doesn’t betray.’
“I kept reminding myself that if I put in the work and effort, it would bear fruit in the end. I think there’s a lot of fear-mongering before matric, so matrics go into the year with a defeatist attitude, thinking it’s going to be so difficult. When facing any kind of obstacle, I think it’s important to remember that you can find a way to solve it if you put your mind to it. It also helps to remember that matric won’t last forever,” said Haffejee.
She also emphasised the importance of consistency throughout the year.
Her interest in medicine stems from a desire to help others – a goal that was heightened during the Covid-19 pandemic.
“From the time I was a child, I knew what I wanted to do with my life – to end up in a lab, doing research. I have always wanted to contribute to curing diseases. I would like to do research into infectious diseases, to benefit humanity, to have the ability to solve the problem of a disease for people. Life-threatening diseases are devastating – they take away loved ones. The Covid-19 pandemic even took away our ability to go out freely and be with family. This inspired me to be someone who could fix those problems for people,” she said.
Completing her schooling through the pandemic came with its own challenges.
“Online classes were a huge adjustment for everyone. Not being physically in school affected a lot of people’s motivation. One thing I made sure to do was to always sit at a desk for my classes and stay on top of my homework and assignments during that period. I kept my work consistent, even though I was at home,” she said.
Maintaining a balance was also important for Haffejee, whose hobbies include writing short stories, reading, and graphic editing.
“I didn’t really have time for editing during the matric year because editing is a huge process, but that was something I was into for a long time, and I hope to get back into it now that matric is over,” she said.
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