Ruhil Gosai achieved an average of 93.5% with nine distinctions (English Home Language, History, Information Technology, isiZulu First Additional Language, Life Orientation, Mathematics and Physical Sciences, as well as Further Studies Mathematics Extended and Further Studies English).
Ruhil was included on the IEB Outstanding Achievements list, achieving within the top 5% of candidates in six or more subjects, including Life Orientation.
He featured in the top 1% of candidates per subject for History, Information Technology and Life Orientation.
He also featured in the top 1% of candidates for Further Studies in Mathematics, achieving 100% in the elective Graph Theory and Matrices.
Ruhil achieved this notable performance despite trepidation when starting the year. "I approached my matric year with much anxiety", he says, "especially after the stories I had heard from previous matriculants about the work that was in store for me. As it turned out, while it was undoubtedly the busiest year of my school career, it turned out better than expected. I was able to make good memories, and though I had a lot of projects, tasks and obstacles to overcome, I maintained a healthy balance between enjoyment and productivity."
Ruhil attended St John’s from 2008, when he joined St John’s Bridge Nursery School. He considers his highest academic achievement the receipt of Academic Honours at the start of his matric year. “In Remove (Grade 8), the award seemed unobtainable, so earning it was a proud moment. I’m also particularly proud of my isiZulu performance. I started learning the language in Lower II (Grade 4) and was worried about how I’d cope, but I was able to attain an “A” average by the end of my studies. I feel a great sense of accomplishment at the hard work that went into that.”
Ruhil ranked in the top 100 applicants to Wits University in 2023. He has also applied to UCT and the University of Pretoria, as well as the London School of Economics. He intends to study Actuarial Science, as several members of his family are in the profession. “I’ve always felt more inclined towards STEM”, he explains. “Before Grade Upper IV (Grade 10), I was never an outstanding performer in those subjects. I had to work hard at them, but I continued to improve.”
Ruhil began to play the piano in his first year at St John’s and has received his Grade 5 ABRSM certifications for the instrument and for music theory and played in St John’s concerts and recitals. He has entered several Olympiads, including those for English, Maths and IT, appreciating the format for the chance to pursue an intellectual goal aligned with academic work but outside the school environment.
"I feel privileged to have attended the school and to have had access to the many opportunities and to the skilled teachers who guided me along the way. I made great friends and have many fond memories, including my matric dance, an English Enrichment tour to the UK in 2019, and perhaps surprisingly (as I’m not generally an outdoor person), my month-long Lower IV (Grade 9) camp," he said.
Ruhil’s advice to boys beginning their schooling is to focus on the process and the joy of learning. “If you enjoy learning, the results will come naturally. Work consistently but be gentle with yourself. Matric is just one phase of a lifelong journey. It’s okay, every now and again, to stop, rejuvenate oneself, and take pride in your progress and achievements.”