WINDHOEK - The 18-year-old Jelson Pedro Quinga from Jacob Marengo Secondary School says the bridge between failure and success is hard work. 

Quinga remarked after he was judged top performer during the official release of the National Senior Secondary Certificate (NSSC) Ordinal Level examination results last Thursday. Quinga who was the only learner from Khomas Region to make it to the top 10 performing learners countrywide, made his school (Jacob Marengo) proud to be on the list of top performers.

 He want to study medicine through the University of Namibia (Unam) in 2020, and is willing to take a gap year this year to do a bridging course to have enough marks to pursue a career in medicine. 

Quinga who was born in Angola, scored 82, 39 percent, and was placed in the eighth position of the top 10. “It’s never too late to be successful because where there is a will, there is always away,” says the proud Quinga. He adds that he is very grateful to her single mother who supports him throughout his studies. “Although my mother struggles a lot, she supported me not only emotionally but financially as well,” he says.

Quinga advises those that will write Grade 12 this year to stay optimistic and believe that through hard work, one can achieve anything. “Those who did not make it in the examination for last year must not give up, and they must keep on trying,” he says.