A 2023 matriculant from Kimberley who completed her school career as an online learner achieved the top spot in the country in the National Senior Certificate (NSC) examination, when all schools accredited with the South African Comprehensive Assessment Institute (Sacai) is considered.
Tanya du Toit, who was a learner at the University of Cape Town (UCT) Online High School, achieved six distinctions and one B-mark, with an overall average of 89,5%.
“My grades have surpassed my expectations. I never envisioned becoming the top achiever for Sacai,” she says.
“I am thankful for the constant encouragement from my parents throughout the year, and from my chief invigilator during the exams.
“I appreciate the UCT Online High School for being so supportive, and for maintaining a level of interaction between the teachers and students.”
She is also thankful for an environment where she could learn at her own pace.
Francois du Toit, her dad, says he is overwhelmed with her exceptional achievement, knowing she worked very hard throughout her school career, and especially so since changing to online schooling.
Du Toit started online schooling in the middle of Gr. 10 and changed to the UCT Online High School at the beginning of her Gr. 11 year. It was also then that she made the change from Afrikaans to full English schooling. Formerly, she attended the Newton Primary School and the Diamantveld High School.
Prefers own schedule
“I decided to do online schooling because during the Covid-19 pandemic I realised that I prefer studying on my own and following my own schedule.
“My dad then heard about the UCT Online High School over the radio shortly after I began doing online school in Gr. 10.”
Staying home for school was not a problem for Du Toit, who says she is rather introverted and enjoys time with her hobbies and close friends.
For her, the transitioning from Afrikaans to English teaching was tricky at first, but she became used to it in no time.
“The key was to put in a lot of effort at the beginning so that I wouldn’t face obstacles further along the way.
“Initially, I spent a lot of time translating English terms to Afrikaans, especially in Accounting. Some subjects like Physics use similar terms in both languages, which makes it easier to adapt.”
‘Make time for relaxation’
On discipline and motivation while attending an online school, Du Toit says she was not always motivated, and sometimes it was incredibly difficult to remain so.
“It took a lot of trial and error to learn how to improve in this area. For one, if you want to stay motivated, it is important to make time for relaxation. If you do not make time for resting and enjoyment, you will end up procrastinating and taking unplanned breaks when you are supposed to study.
“It is also important not to overschedule yourself, because it only results in feeling overwhelmed. Additionally, I found it helpful to separate my learning space from my room and to set up weekly schedules.”
During Gr. 11 she also joined the writers’ club at the online school, as she loves to write stories and poems in her free time.
Du Toit is taking a gap year, for which she will mostly be in Kimberley. She already entered a course on how to improve her ability to learn. She regards it as part of her preparation for university.
“I will also be writing my national benchmark test this year, applying to university, and getting my driver’s licence.”
She would like to study in the medical field, maybe Pharmacy or Medicine, depending on whether she gets accepted. She will also apply at several universities, including the UCT.
“I will use my gap year to explore and develop my own interests and hobbies,” she concludes.
