News24.com | Matric results | Against all odds: How Cape Town teen overcame tragedy and upheaval to bag four distinctions

Chanté Worship, who lost her mother in 2020 due to terminal cancer, went from an average student to a top achiever.

• A pupil from Longacres Private School in Langebaan reset her academic career after losing her mother and moving more than 100km away from home.
• Chanté Worship, who lost her mother to cancer in 2020, went from being an average student to a top achiever.
• Worship passed matric with four distinctions and plans to study law, but has yet to decide at which university.
• Matric NSC results: Here's when and how to check yours on News24

After losing her mother to cancer and moving schools, Chanté Worship decided to restart her academic career and begin afresh.

The Kraaifontein 18-year-old went from being an "average student" to bagging four distinctions

In 2020, her mother passed away after battling cancer and Worship experienced a total shift in both her home and academic life.

"My academics took a hit because of Covid-19 and my mother's ill-health. I missed all my term three exams. After I lost my mother, my family dynamic changed, I moved schools, I moved houses and was 100km away from my original area," says Worship.

"So having to adjust to it all and deal with the academic pressure was not easy," she told News24 after she received her matric results on Friday. 

Worship moved to Langebaan on the West Coast in Grade 11 and matriculated from Longacres Private School, with distinctions in English Home Language, Afrikaans First Additional Language, Mathematical Literacy and Life Orientation, with an average of 80.14%.

She persevered and used the new changes in her life as motivation to not only get good grades but improve her standing as a leader in school. 

READ | Matric results: Soweto matric student shrugs off countless challenges to shine with three distinctions

Worship has been the top achiever in her grade since her second term of Grade 11 until matriculating, was on the student council, and later became head girl. 

Originally, she had planned on studying medicine and took subjects such as physics and pure mathematics but later found her passion in law and instead chose to go that route. 

"I originally wanted to study medicine because my mother was a nurse I but later found that it wasn't for me. I started doing more research and figuring out where my passions lie and decided that's what I wanted to do because law is something you shouldn't do unless you love it," she said. 

Worship added that she was not rushing into choosing which university to attend but would definitely be pursuing a four-year LLB degree. 

Worship, who loves sport, also plays netball, and will line-up for the West-Boland netball team this year.

Meanwhile, Western Cape MEC for Education David Maynier said the Overberg, Cape Winelands, and Metro Central Education districts have increased their pass rates. The Metro North Education District also claimed the top spot at 85.46%.