Estella Naicker
EUNÉ Bosch and her parents were honoured to be invited to have breakfast with Minister of Education, Matsie Angelina Motshekga, at South Africa’s Top Matric Achievers’ Awards function.
At the event, Euné froze in disbelief when she learned that she had obtained the second highest matric results in the country among the Quintile 4 schools.
“The results went live during the breakfast with the minister, and, in that moment, I thought it was a mistake. I couldn’t believe it,” said Euné.
Euné, the Dux pupil at Pioneer High School, had obtained a 95% average in her final matric exams, and received a printer, laptop, tablet and cell-phone from the Department of Education as a reward.
“Being at the awards ceremony really changed my perception about education. I met pupils and teachers from poorer communities and I never realised how much extra effort they have to put in with limited resources in order to perform well. There was one principal from Limpopo, who had 300 matric pupils. Yet, he knew each one of their names and made a personal effort to ensure that he helped them improve in learning areas that they were struggling with,” Euné shared.
Asked what she has planned for her future, Euné said, “My goal since grade 9 was to become a paediatrician, so I have enrolled at the University of Stellenbosch to study medicine. My younger brother, Arnau, is my inspiration. He was diagnosed with ADHD and I appreciate all the care and support of the medical professionals who helped him. I also love working with children and believe that healthy habits developed from a young age, will be rewarded with a healthy body later in life.”
She continued, “Knowing that I wanted to pursue a career in medicine meant that I had to ensure that I showed balance in my university application. I couldn’t just focus on academics. I had to balance my academic achievements with activities in sport and culture as well. It was difficult to balance everything but I worked hard and trusted in God to see me through it.”
Euné played hockey in the school’s second team, participated in triathlons and was the team captain of Pioneer’s swim team. She also performed in the school’s theatrical shows.
“While I was studying, I kept calm and focused by taking a half an hour break after every hour of studying. I believe that you need to take care of your body and give your mind time to rest in order to perform at your peak,” she said.
Euné has the following advice for the matrics of 2017, “It is important to study from the beginning of the year. It is also very important to really pay attention in class and to ask questions immediately, if you need clarity on anything.”
She concluded, “I would be happy if I could go out there and just change one person’s life. That’s why I chose to study medicine. I know that feeling physically unwell impacts on your emotional and mental well-being as well. By restoring a person’s health, I may be able to help restore their emotional and mental state too, making it possible for that person to go into the world and make a difference in someone else’s life.
“I would like to thank my mum who has always been there for me and has taught me that it is ok if I don’t always achieve everything I want, and I would like to thank Pioneer High School for all the support I received over the years.”
