Dedication earns Zubair top spot in matric

Despite fighting off challenges while ploughing his way through matric, Grassy Park resident Zubair Rayned managed to secure the top position in matric at Fairmount High School.

Ridewaan Salie, acting principal of Fairmount High School, said Zubair, who achieved an average of 73% a subject, has an exemplary character. “One of his key traits is that he is quiet but very hard working.”

Mr Salie said Zubair had a purpose at school.

“He was an athlete and he has participated in chess as well. He is a person who is usually under the radar but this is what three teachers said about him: he is humble, he is very helpful towards his fellow classmates and he has never been rude to the teachers at this school. I think the humility he displayed comes from home.”

Zubair said what helped him get through nights of studying in load shedding, sacrificing weekends and taking extra classes during the week while balancing his social life with his studies was, “the support I got from my friends, family and teachers at Fairmount who pushed me to aim for the moon and not the sky.”

Apart from studying in the dark during load shedding and using three cellphones’ torches to be able to see his notes, Zubair was also affected by the suffering he saw around him.

“Another challenge was the area that I had to walk through everyday and seeing the difficulties that people go through such as gangsterism, drugs and violence, made me realise that I need to work hard because that's not the life I wanted to have.”

Zubair’s advice to the current Grade 12 class is: “Prepare yourself well for the exams because it's easier saying I know everything than actually showing it when you are in the exam room.”

His mother Soemiela said Zubair is the second youngest child. He has one sister and four brothers.

“Zubair was always a child who sits with his books and he is very organised and dedicated. He always stayed after school and attended the Capitec maths classes. I really want to thank the teachers at Fairmount who really put all their efforts into the work and sacrificed their time so the learners could be successful.”

Ms Rayned said she always checked up on Zubair but gave him room to study. “As a mother I always advised him to do well in school. He always did well in his school career and he made us so proud.

“He is currently taking a gap year to pursue his Islamic studies (Hifth). He is planning to study chemical engineering next year.