Durban - Attaining 7 distinctions and earning the top spot at Curro Mount Richmore in Ballito was a bittersweet moment for Aliyanah Ramluckan. Her dad, Julian, who was her biggest supporter, died from Covid-19 just over a week ago.
“These marks don’t mean much, now that my dad is not here,” said Ramluckan, of Sheffield Beach.
“He was always the proudest dad. I remember the day I received the school’s Dux award, he was so happy and wanted everyone to know. If he were here, he would have thrown the biggest party.”
She achieved distinctions in maths, physical science, Afrikaans, life science, accounting, life orientation and advanced programme mathematics.
Ramluckan said online learning was not a challenge during the pandemic.
"I tend to grasp concepts easily. I consider myself a self-starter and a self-motivator. Even at a young age, I would dedicate to tasks easily. My mom and dad were, of course, always by my side for support.”
She said though she loved learning alone, her teachers were consistently available for questions and queries.
“Even if I had a question at 10pm, they were ready to help me.”
Ramluckan said she developed a study method which worked well for her. It comprised writing down pieces of information and leaving out keywords so that she could test herself. She often woke up at 7am during the lockdown and study until 5pm with short breaks in between.
Ramluckan’s advice to this year’s Grade 12 pupils: “It is important to stay on your grind. Do not sleep through your lessons and think it will be okay. Make sure you maintain a balance.”
She has been provisionally accepted to study actuarial science at the University of Cape Town. Ramluckan said now that she had her final results, she would be guaranteed a spot.
