VANDERBIJLPARK – Rehahohetsoe Nkoana, an 18-year-old pupil, has been a part of the Vaal community for eight years since enrolling at El-Shaddai Christian School in Grade 5.
This year, she brought pride to both the Vaal and her hometown in Limpopo by achieving three distinctions in her matric, contributing to her school’s recognition as the number one in the Sedibeng West District.
In an interview with Ster South, Nkoana reflected on her remarkable journey at the school and shared her thoughts on achieving the top spot.
Seated at the school’s boardroom on January 22, she expressed her gratitude for the positive impact the school had on her life.
“I’ve been here since grade five, and since then, my journey with the school has been nothing but amazing, spiritually, mentally, emotionally, and otherwise,” she said.
While the three distinctions exceeded her expectations, Nkoana acknowledged that her hard work, coupled with the school’s support, contributed to her success.
Despite initially harbouring some resentment towards her teachers for their relentless push, she recognised their role in shaping her academic achievements.
“My achievement became possible because of the teachers who held the fort behind us and made sure that we pushed beyond our efforts as pupils. The boarding parents were also amazing, as they made sure we delivered beyond our strength. I would love to thank them [teachers and boarding parents] so much for making sure that I pushed, although I had started hating some of them for the enormous and iron fist push,” she humorously shared.
Nkoana emphasised the crucial support she received from mentors, teachers, and boarding parents, making her exams feel manageable. Expressing gratitude for her accomplishments, she hoped that her success would inspire fellow students to maintain the school’s number one position in the district’s pass rate.
