In 2020, during the height of the Covid-19 pandemic, Chrisovalandi Coundouris, known as Valandi, earned a scholarship to attend Saheti School in Johannesburg.
At the time, he was living in Pretoria, which meant two hours of daily commuting and navigating early mornings, late evenings and demanding academic schedules.
“I knew that if I didn’t take the opportunity, I would be shooting myself in the foot,” Valandi said. “It wasn’t easy, but I knew it was worth it.”
The pressure intensified during matric. Extra lessons often stretched into the evening, sometimes ending as late as 7pm. His days began before sunrise during exams, adding to his physical and mental exhaustion.
“I realised very early in matric that I was getting extremely tired,” he said. “There were days when I would leave home before sunrise and come back late at night.”
However, his parents decided to make a sacrifice that gave Valandi some breathing space.
Midway through his matric year, his family made the decision to move closer to the school — a turning point that allowed him to regain balance and focus.
“That move helped me a lot,” he said. “It gave me the space to actually concentrate on my work and look after myself.”
By year-end, Valandi’s perseverance paid off. His name was repeatedly called at the school’s prizegiving ceremony as he collected awards for academic excellence.
“Walking onto that stage and hearing my name being called meant everything,” he said. “Those awards are a reminder of every early morning, every long day and every sacrifice.”
You need goals that push you, not goals that break you.
— Valandi Coundouris
His hard work and family’s sacrifices finally paid off — Valandi not only passed matric with flying colours but was also awarded the IEB commendable achiever award, acquiring full-house distinctions in all nine subjects with an average of 92%.
“These are indescribable feelings of relief that the wait is finally over,” Valandi said. “I am proud of being awarded the IEB commendable achiever award. It’s been the longest month and a half of waiting, and I can’t wait to start my future.”
Valandi said a key part of his success was learning to set realistic academic goals and being honest with himself.
“You have to sit down and ask yourself where you really are,” he said. “If you’re getting 60%, aiming for 90% without fixing the gaps isn’t realistic. You need goals that push you, not goals that break you.”
Instead of chasing perfection, Valandi focused on steady improvement and consistency.
“Doing a little bit every day makes a massive difference,” he said. “Consistency builds confidence, and confidence changes how you write exams.”
He said one of the things that he relied heavily on as he prepared for his exams was past papers, especially in maths and physical sciences. He also made use of digital learning tools such as educational YouTube channels and artificial intelligence platforms to strengthen his understanding.
“Sometimes you just need a different explanation,” he said. “Using online resources and ChatGPT helped me understand the thinking behind the work, not just the answers.”
Looking ahead, Valandi plans to study applied mathematics at either the University of Cape Town or Stellenbosch and has aspirations of building a career in the financial sector. An internship at Investec sparked his interest in banking, risk management and financial modelling.
The three days he spent at Investec for his internship grew his love for numbers and maths even more.
“I want to understand how mathematical and statistical models can help institutions prepare for global shocks and manage financial risk,” he said.
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