“Not only was I working hard, but I was working smart too”.
Motshala Kgatla, 2019 Siyandisa Foundation Scholarship recipient who obtained seven distinctions in his final matric exams, reflects that to him working hard meant using all the time he had at his disposal, productively. “From Mondays to Saturdays, he would ensure that he was already at school by 6am, and only left the school premises by 5:30pm.” This, he explains, was to ensure that each day he allowed himself the opportunity to learn something new, which guaranteed that he covered as much as possible of the school curriculum in the time available to him, but also left him ample time to revise when necessary. “This also ensured that I did not encounter any challenges or surprises when it came to my studies because I was always well prepared.”
He adds that being a Siyandisa Foundation Scholarship recipient did give him an added advantage. “I was able to benefit a lot from the learning material offered in the programme. The tablet helped me to acquire computer skills, the data helped me to do online research whenever I needed to and I also benefited a lot from the video lessons that had been provided.”
He offers a word of advice to anyone who is currently studying. “Do not let yourself get left behind. Work hard and always strive for the best. Should you encounter challenges, know that ‘success is what happens after you have survived all of your disappointments’. Stay strong. Stay positive - and never give up. You are stronger than you think.”