HOME-GROWN Amanzimtoti matriculant, Yavan Roopnarain, found a great deal of success during his final year of high school, achieving the top spot at Amanzimtoti High School with an 89% aggregate spread across seven distinctions.

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While he saw the year as a challenge, facing a multitude of highs and lows, Yavan was thankful to have a strong support system at home, and in conjunction with his dedicated work ethic, it proved to be a winning combination for his successful matric year.

“I see myself as a very analytical person; one who loves to problem solve and understand how theories and teachings come into fruition. I advise the matric class of 2025 and those of the future to gain a routine. Sleep is your best friend and having set times to balance relaxation with work helps you best plan your entire syllabus and greatly reduces the pressures of your final year in school. I found learning for understanding was the best strategy and used it throughout my academic career. Studying for a deeper understanding not only helped me achieve my goals academically, but with nine subjects, this also enlightened me on a vast array of concepts,” said Yavan.

Outside of his school work, he is very fond of football, from watching, playing and video gaming, and it was the largest stress reliever for him last year. He described times during 2024 when the pressure to achieve became intense, and kicking a football or watching Manchester City win the Premier League was just the stress reliever he needed.

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“I come from a single-parent household, whilst my sister, Yatra, lived in Gauteng. My mother, Neevasha, being a teacher at my school, was ultimately my definitive factor in all my success. All her late night motivators, delicious meals while cramming content, and unconditional support allowed me to continue pushing to achieve my true best. Throughout my matric year, my sister was a major influence on my academics and determination to succeed. From teaching me quadratic number patterns in Grade 4, to being my lifelong teacher and believer of my dreams – her academic career has always been exemplary to me and provided me a set of footprints to follow in.”

In 2025, Yavan looks forward to studying actuarial science at the University of Witwatersrand, which has always been a standout career to him due to his love for statistics, calculus, and accounting.

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