Staff Reporter
Hard-working Liyabona Ncanywa was recognised by the Eastern Cape Department of Education as one of the Top Achievers in the National Senior Certificate Examinations in the province.
Assisted with tuition and school fees through the Chemical Industries Education and Training Authority (CHIETA) STEM fund, Liyabona says she expected to do well as his performance since the beginning of the matric year was outstanding.
“Some of the key moments were staying behind in the dining hall at school hostel to study when everyone else went to sleep. It would be me and my friends and we would study until 02:00am,” recalls the learner from Nathaniel Pamla High School in Peddie in the Eastern Cape.
Liyabona says she hopes that her achievements can serve as motivation to her peers, helping them to realise that if she could achieve such greatness, so can they.
“I would advise other students to always study ahead and to also practice as many past question papers as they can so that they can familiarize themselves with exam questions.”
The matric year, however, has had its challenges for Liyabona. “I lost my great grandmother and my cousin. I did not have time to properly grieve because I was faced with my midyear exams, so I had to make sure that I did not lose focus. I overcame this by telling myself that despite everything that happens, life goes on and I take too much time to grieve the time that would pass me by.”
Asked about her study techniques, Liyabona says: “I found teaching someone else what you have learnt is most effective because through this I identify which areas I still need to study.”
There was no doubt who helped push Liyabona the most. “My teachers played a huge role in motivating me because they always reminded me of what I was capable of achieving and they always pushed me out of my comfort zone.”
“My teachers always provided me with resources whenever I needed them. They would also always help me by explaining work that I didn’t understand and help me understand and help me understand it better. My family members always supported me emotionally and physiologically, they all helped me to have a clear mind so that I could focus on my academics.”
Liyabona also attributed the school’s success to the CHIETA funding and support which has positively impacted STEM initiatives in the community. “I believe the CHIETA’s funding has positively impacted our school because our pass rate increased from 2022 to 2023 which shows that the intervention of the program helped learners to improve their performance.”
Liyabona urged others to make sure that they utilize the resources that they are being offered as it could help them improve their academic performance.
Her future aspirations? “I want to go into the medical field; I want to be a doctor and specialise in gynaecology. One of my many reasons is the fact that most women in rural areas lack information about reproductive health and for that reason they tend to be careless regarding matters that include reproductive health. I would like to be part of the solution and help women to be more responsible for their reproductive health,” said Liyabona.
Yershen Pillay, the chief executive officer of CHIETA, welcomed Liyabona’s Top Achiever recognition from the Eastern Cape Department of Education. “It is with a measure of pride when students we as an organisation support, excel. Liyabona has our best wishes for the future. We urge learners supported by CHIETA, and students in general, to be inspired by her hard-working example.”
Through its various programmes, Pillay added that through its Upcoming Discretionary Grant Funding Windows, working with corporates, CHIETA provides potential opportunities for 615 internships, 1085 learnerships, 1 395 skills programmes,1285 TVET student for Working in Learning and 1 000 learners receive STEM training.
“This investment in skills development is vindicated when learners like Liyabona make us proud,” he added.
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