Al-Qalam 
By Al-Qalam Reporter
Cape Town’s Rayyan Ebrahim recently became the country’s top matric pupil. While Rayyan Ebrahim’s academic success is remarkable, what sets him apart is his commitment to speaking out about the plight of the Palestinian people.
During the national matric awards ceremony held in Johannesburg last week, he proudly wore his Palestinian keffiyeh, a powerful symbol of solidarity with Gaza. His voice echoed with passion as he spoke about the situation in Palestine.
In an interview with Al-Qalam, he said the freedom of Palestine was a cause that’s deeply personal to him. He was elated at the news of a ceasefire but says there’s still much to do.
“There’s a sense of relief but also cautious optimism because we know in the past that ceasefire deals have broken or have not been complied with properly on the Israeli government’s side. But Alhamdulilah, there is a relief in place. We must just be grateful for that, and we can’t give up on making dua for the Palestinian people and supporting them. They need our support now more than ever, to rebuild their lives,” said Ebrahim.
He said the resilience of the Palestinian people was a constant source of inspiration for him.
“They are very resilient, and their commitment to our faith really inspired me to be resilient in my own life and to get to know my faith more and practice it more. I believe their suffering represents the cruelty of our society because our society has ignored their basic suffering, clearly presented to us through our screens.
Ebrahim scored 100% in Physical Sciences, 99% in Mathematics Standard, and an overall aggregate of 97.6%.
“Studying for matric for me started very early in the year. I had to put lots of hours into studying. I would miss out on certain social events just to make extra time for my books, but I always focused on living a balanced life even when I was studying. I incorporated family time, friends as well as exercising,” said Ebrahim.
This balance between intense study and personal well-being was key to his success.
His dedication to his studies was also evident in his routine.
“For me, I would wake up earlier in the mornings to get a bit of extra work done and I would just constantly use any opportunity to learn something or maybe to teach somebody. Often, during the mornings before exams, I would help my friends with their studying. That helped me a lot to revise my own work before the exam,” said Ebrahim.
Ebrahim said he doesn’t just credit his success to the hours spent poring over textbooks; he also emphasised the importance of collaboration and support.
Maths and Science were his favourite subjects. He said his approach to these subjects was all about consistent practice. “For me, maths and physics are subjects that you just have to practice to do well at. I went through multiple past papers, asked lots of questions and looked for the past papers that had the most difficult questions.
He said when he was uncertain, he didn’t hesitate to seek out resources.
“When I didn’t know how to answer a question, I would watch a YouTube video explaining that question. That was very helpful for me,” he said.
Beyond academics, Ebrahim also has a creative side that shines brightly.
He’s a talented writer, having had his poems published in the national anthology English Alive, a collection that highlights the best student writing in South Africa. With his matric results behind him, Ebrahim is now looking to the future. He has set his sights on studying Data Science at the University of Cape Town. He hopes to continue his academic journey while also contributing to causes that matter deeply to him, including advocating for Palestine. He advises the matric class of 2025 to remain focused and consistent.
“Matric is a long year but just enjoy it. Before you know it, it will be over. Pace yourself and work consistently, and you will reap the rewards thereafter,” said Ebrahim.
