PE matric overcomes loss to bag five distinctions

A Port Elizabeth teenager who overcame the loss of her parents is on the road to fulfilling her dream of becoming a chartered accountant after matriculating with flying colours.

Bright spark Anesipo Mkoyo, 19, will study for a BCom degree at Rhodes University after she bagged five distinctions. She will be the first in her family to go to tertiary university.

The former Khwezi Lomso pupil had double reason to celebrate this month: she turned 19 last Friday and this week she received news of excellent Grade 12 results.

“I feel like I have broken a cycle and others who come after me will have access to more opportunities,” she said.

She scored distinctions in maths (80%), accounting (81%), life orientation ((81%), Xhosa (82%) and business studies (87%).

“My aunts called on Wednesday morning to tell me how well I did. I was shocked because I expected Bs, with which I would have been happy, but I am ecstatic I exceeded my expectations,” she said. Mkoyo spoke glowingly about her teachers, whom she credited for her academic success, as the matriculant had a difficult start to the year in 2014.

She lost her mother in February, a month into her final year of school. She also lost her father in 2013. Her mother’s death hit her the hardest because she was close to her, she said. “My teachers were not just teachers but most were like parents to me. I am grateful for the role they have played in my life and ensuring I did well at school,” Mkoyo said.

Slaughtering an animal to celebrate her achievement had come up among family members, with some saying Mkoyo deserved a goat while others said a cow would do.

Couple Ntsikelelo Ntshebe, Mkoyo’s maternal uncle, and Xoliswa Persent took Mkoyo into their Kwazakhele home after her mother died last year. The couple was overjoyed byafter hearing of Mkoyo’s matric results. Persent had encouraged Mkoyo to be strong after her mother’ died last year.the youngster lost her mother in February last year.s death, while Ntshebe, who is Mkoyo’s maternal uncle, said his niece was a bookworm who seldom spoke.

He said he was very pleased with her results.

- Xolisa Phillip