With their futures in sight and the pressure of final examinations mounting, Southlands Secondary School’s Class of 2026 has pledged to pursue excellence, remain disciplined and give their best as they prepare for the National Senior Certificate (NSC) examinations.
The Grade 12 pupils made the commitment during the school’s Chasing Greatness pledge-signing ceremony in the main hall on Friday, 9 October, reflecting on the sacrifices, challenges and personal growth that have shaped their final year of school.
Guided by the school’s motto, Labor Omnia Vincit (hard work conquers all), the ceremony encouraged matrics to recognise how far they had come and approach the final stretch of their school careers with integrity, determination and purpose.
However, for the pupils who shared their reflections, chasing greatness means more than securing a Bachelor’s pass or earning distinctions. It is about overcoming self-doubt, persevering through personal challenges and finishing matric knowing they have given their best.
Their commitment also comes as KwaZulu-Natal’s matric class is encouraged to build on the province’s academic achievements and strive for even greater success.
KwaZulu-Natal Education MEC Sipho Hlomuka, in a message to the Class of 2026, said: “Guided by the powerful theme, ‘Number 1 was the floor, now we raise the ceiling,’ the Class of 2026 is encouraged to aim higher, remain focused and play its part in keeping KwaZulu-Natal at the top.”
The message challenges pupils to view previous achievements as a foundation for further success rather than a limit to what they can accomplish. For Southlands’ matrics, that means making the most of the time remaining, preparing diligently and recognising the role their individual efforts can play in the province’s continued academic performance.
For Sharlize Reddy of Grade 12D, signing the pledge was a declaration of responsibility and a commitment to seeing her efforts through.
“Signing is more than ink on paper for me. It means I am taking ownership,” she said.
Reddy acknowledged that after a demanding year filled with daily challenges, giving up could sometimes seem like the easier option. However, the pledge represented her decision to choose discipline over excuses and remain committed to her goals despite the difficulties she had encountered.
She also views the pledge as an ethical commitment to approach her examinations honestly, respect the work of her teachers and classmates, and prove to herself that she can finish strong.
“I am not just chasing a Bachelor’s pass. I am hoping to achieve proof that consistency wins,” she said.
While Reddy wants her results to reflect her true ability, she is equally determined to finish her final paper with peace of mind, knowing she has given her best and has no regrets about the effort she invested in her studies.
For her, greatness is not about being the top pupil in the province, but finding the courage to try again after failure.
“For me, it means getting up and trying again after failure. Greatness to me is that quiet courage – to chase your future even when your plan A didn’t work out,” she said.
Reddy believes pupils must choose growth over self-pity and understand that setbacks do not have to determine the direction of their lives.
Her message also acknowledges the pressures young people may carry beyond the classroom, including rejection, difficulties at home and exhaustion. Rather than allowing these challenges to leave them feeling isolated, she encourages her fellow matrics to remember that they are not alone as they face one of the most significant examinations of their school careers.
Fellow Grade 12D pupil Taesha Lilly Chutrugon said the pledge was a promise to become someone her younger self would look up to and her future self would thank.
For Chutrugon, the commitment reflects an understanding that opportunities cannot be taken for granted and that education can provide a stepping stone towards a better future.
She described matric as a year of pressure, expectations, long and tiring days, late nights of studying and moments of self-doubt. However, the experience had also revealed what she was capable of achieving.
Signing the pledge meant committing herself to completing this chapter with the determination that had brought her this far.
“When it’s all done and dusted, I want to have zero regrets,” she said.
Chutrugon wants her actions to reflect the commitment she made during the ceremony and hopes to look back knowing she approached the final stretch of her school career with purpose.
Her immediate academic goal is to achieve a Bachelor’s pass, opening the door to her ambition of pursuing a career in clinical psychology, a competitive field. She is also aiming for distinctions in several subjects while pushing herself to improve in those she finds more challenging.
For Chutrugon, her final NSC certificate must represent more than a set of marks. She wants it to reflect the discipline, consistency and perseverance she invested in her education.
“I don’t want to determine where I end up,” she said.
She believes that although pupils may not all begin from the same circumstances, their backgrounds should not automatically determine how far they can go. She hopes her results will create opportunities for further study and bring her closer to the career she wants to pursue.
Her understanding of greatness is equally personal. Rather than measuring herself against the pupil sitting next to her, she sees her greatest competition as the person she was yesterday.
Chutrugon said there had been moments when she had to manage not only the pressure of matric but also personal battles that often went unnoticed. These experiences had taught her that greatness could mean continuing to move forward even when self-doubt made progress difficult.
“My definition of greatness is not to chase a perfect version of myself. Instead, it is to work towards the version of myself that I have not met yet,” she said.
She wants her achievements to demonstrate that difficult experiences may test a person, but they do not have to have the final say. Her message to fellow matrics is to remember why they began their school journeys, remain focused on their goals and use the time remaining to prepare as thoroughly as possible.
For Ashriya Balraj, the Chasing Greatness pledge represents a commitment to herself and Southlands Secondary School to give her absolute best in the final examinations.
The Grade 12 pupil said the pledge reminded her of the importance of the examinations ahead and the discipline and determination required to approach them successfully.
She hopes to achieve results that will make her proud, as well as her family and those who have supported her throughout her school career. Her ambition is to work hard across all her subjects and secure the marks needed to study her chosen career at university.
“I aim to finish matric knowing that I gave it my all,” she said.
Balraj said chasing greatness was not about competing with other pupils, but striving to create a better life for herself.
She believes pupils must be willing to push themselves, particularly when preparing for demanding examinations that could influence their future study and career opportunities.
Her message to fellow matrics is one of perseverance and self-belief. She urged them to remember how far they had come and remain mindful of their goals, especially when the pressure of the final examinations begins to feel overwhelming.
Balraj also highlighted the importance of making use of every available opportunity to study, noting that the time invested in preparation could make a difference to their results.
Grade 12C pupil Moesha Aadilah Jafarie shared a similar view, describing the pledge as a commitment to work hard, remain focused and give her best during her final year of school.
Jafarie said the effort pupils put into their studies could influence their future opportunities and that it was important to continue believing in themselves when circumstances became difficult.
She hopes to achieve good results that will help her pursue her future goals while making herself, her family and her teachers proud. The prospect of further study is an important motivation as she prepares for her final examinations.
For Jafarie, chasing greatness means continually striving for self-improvement by setting goals, working towards them and refusing to give up when faced with challenges.
“I believe greatness does not mean being perfect; it means learning from your mistakes, growing as a person and continuing to work towards the future you want,” she said.
Her reflections highlight the reality that academic success is not always a straightforward journey. Pupils may encounter setbacks, make mistakes or struggle with particular subjects, but these experiences can also provide opportunities to learn and improve.
Jafarie believes determination and focus can help pupils overcome difficulties and continue working towards their ambitions.
Although the pupils have different aspirations, their reflections reveal a shared desire to complete matric knowing they have made the most of their opportunities. For some, that means pursuing a specific career; for others, it means achieving marks that reflect their abilities, making their families proud or proving to themselves that they can persevere despite challenges.
Their experiences also highlight the emotional demands of the final school year, when academic expectations often coincide with uncertainty about the future.
Sandy Ishwar, a teacher who shared the pupils’ reflections, highlighted the importance of consistency, resilience and mutual support as matrics approach their final examinations.
One of the messages shared through Ishwar acknowledged that pupils may be dealing with difficulties that are not immediately visible to their classmates or teachers.
“We are all scared. Some of us are hiding rejections, some are fighting at home, some are exhausted,” the message read.
It encouraged pupils to support one another rather than compete, recognising that everyone has different circumstances and experiences. The message also called on matrics to study honestly, rest when necessary and remember that, while important, their NSC results would not define the entirety of their lives.
“Our NSC is one chapter, not our whole story,” it stated.
The sentiment reflects the purpose of the Chasing Greatness pledge: to encourage pupils to take responsibility for their efforts while recognising that personal growth, resilience and integrity are also important measures of success.
As the examinations approach, the pupils are encouraged to remain focused, use their study time effectively and seek support when needed. Their reflections also serve as a reminder that anxiety and exhaustion can become part of the matric experience, making it important to maintain perspective while working towards their goals.
The provincial education department’s message places the Class of 2026 within a broader call for KwaZulu-Natal to sustain and improve its academic performance. The theme, “Number 1 was the floor, now we raise the ceiling,” challenges pupils to build on past achievements rather than become complacent, setting higher goals and recognising that continued success requires sustained effort.
For Southlands Secondary School’s matrics, the pledge-signing ceremony provided an opportunity to make that commitment personal.
Their words show that chasing greatness does not necessarily mean achieving perfection or having every aspect of the future mapped out. It can mean showing up, putting in the work, learning from mistakes and continuing to pursue opportunities when the journey becomes difficult.
As they prepare to enter the examination rooms, the Class of 2026 carries years of lessons, experiences and aspirations with them. The challenge now is to turn those experiences into focused preparation and give each examination their best effort.
For these matric pupils, the pledge is more than a ceremonial signature. It is a reminder of the promises they have made to themselves, the people who have supported them and the futures they hope to build beyond the school gates.
