The Sunday Mail
Sunday Mail Reporter
FOR many learners, 2020 was a forgettable year, as continuous disruptions caused by the coronavirus made it increasingly difficult to prepare for their final examinations.
But for Garikai Gijima of St George’s College, no hurdle could stand in his way.
He scored four Grade A passes — Accounting, Computer Science, Mathematics and Further Mathematics — when he sat for the Cambridge Advanced Level exams.
Speaking to Zimpapers Television Network (ZTN), Garikai said the secret to his success was the hard work he put in with the help of his teachers and classmates.
“Staying focused was certainly a challenge during the pandemic, but I honestly owe it to my teachers because of the energy they put into our studies . . .
“St George’s did pretty well. We had a 100 percent pass rate and a number of my friends actually had straight A’s.
“So I think we managed to pull through in the end,” he said.
With Covid-19 causing chaos across all sectors, including education, Garikai’s story is a tale of the triumph of hope over fear.
Schools, with the exception of examination classes, are currently closed due to the lockdown, which was occasioned by raising cases and fatalities during the festive season.
Some learners are resorting to online studies, which are, however, limited by access to ICT gadgets and data costs.