Pretoria prodigy completes physics degree at 17, ready for honours studies

Hjalmar Rall from Brooklyn, Pretoria east, has completed his physics degree at the University of Pretoria at the age of 17.

Hjalmar, originally from Riebeeck Kasteel, initially matriculated with a Cambridge matric equivalent at the age of 12, after his father, Heinrich Rall took him out of school in Grade 5.

Hjalmar’s father gave up his full-time job for a part-time job to homeschool him which paid off as the youngster matriculated and completed a post-matric level of studies in three years.

“He will be doing his honours degree in 2020,” Heinrich told Pretoria East Rekord on Wednesday evening.

“Once he has completed his honours degree, he plans to go overseas to further his studies.”

Heinrich said his son was especially interested in quantum physics.

“Hjalmar will most probably become an academic and do research.”

Heinrich said he could see from a very young age how advanced his son was. From the age of three, Hjalmar could draw two and three-dimensional drawings.

“I could see he was frustrated at school and decided to take him out and do homeschooling.”

Heinrich said his son enjoyed photography, poems, sketching and computers.

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