Gauteng’s top Engen Maths and Science School (EMSS) defied the odds by achieving outstanding marks in his matric results for 2018. Skhumbuzo Mbatha achieved five distinctions for matric, enough to earn him a place to study Mechanical Engineering at the University of the Witwatersrand in 2019.
The 17-year-old attended Leshata Secondary School and joined the EMMS programme at Zakarriya Park when he was in grade 10. He excelled beating 87 fellow matrics at the end of last year to take top spot amongst those in Gauteng who attended the EMSS programme.
Mbatha grew up in Orange Farm with his grandmother, uncle, 2 aunts and other grandchildren, after losing his parents when he was young. “Personally, losing my parents was the greatest hardship I’ve experienced but I didn’t let my loss define the summit of my destination,” said Mbatha, who also scored 95% for science.
Every Saturday during his grade 12 year, Mbatha attended the Engen-sponsored supplementary classes to ensure he achieved top marks.
Talking on his success Mbatha encourages 2019 matriculates to put extra effort and believe in themselves, “My advice to 2019 matriculates is to depend on themselves, because teacher are there to just confirm what you already know but proper preparation prevents poor performance, so study while others are sleeping, listen while others are talking and take advice from your teachers.
Engen’s Corporate Social Investment Manager, Adhila Hamdulay said that the company is delighted to see Mbatha get the chance to study Mechanical Engineering. “We are so incredibly proud to see Mbatha, who epitomises the quality of the young people we work with around the country every year, do so well. Our ultimate reward is to help set them all up to pursue stimulating careers that will change their lives, but also benefit the economy as a whole,” said Mbatha.
According to Unathi Njokweni-Magida head of Transformation and Stakeholder Engagement at Engen Equipping people with potential and drive to succeed in their careers sums up Engen’s approach to human resource management and education-focused corporate social investment programmes.
“We identify, support, reward, recruit, train and develop high-potential candidates for fulfilling careers in skills-challenged fields, in support of SA’s transformational agenda and Engen’s own business. We strongly believe that we have a responsibility to help young people realise their full potential, and we feel enormously privileged to have played a role in their impressive achievements,” said Magida.
A total of 532 matriculants from across South Africa benefited from EMSS classes in 2018, achieving an impressive 93% pass rate. The Gauteng centre, one of nine in South Africa and which Mbatha attended, attained a 98% pass rate. Two EMSS centres in KwaZulu-Natal boasted 100% pass rates.
The EMSS schools across South Africa run classes in the Western Cape, Eastern Cape, Gauteng and KwaZulu-Natal. They provide a high-quality learning experience, including teaching and educational materials, for learners from Grade 10 to 12.