



He could’ve had 30 distinctions and he still may not have gotten in. Professor Gonda Perez, UCT Medical School

We believe this is a fair way of correcting the wrongs of the past. Professor Gonda Perez, UCT Medical School

Perez said the number of points that he scored was 756 and the cut off number of points for his category was 865.

So you can see the difference is quite big. This means there were eligible people with 865 points who got into his particular category. Prof Gonda Perez

CapeTalk’s John Maytham received an email from an exasperated listener.

Last year her son got an A in nine subjects and was the Dux Scholar in his school.

Yet, the University of Cape Town rejected his application for medical school.

This despite admitting others from his school with far lower grades.

Maytham interviewed UCT Medical School’s Professor Gonda Perez.

Scroll down to listen to the interview (and/or read more quotes from it).

Here’s the email:

My son, William Crake, attended Norman Henshilwood High School in Constantia.

The previous year his brother, Devon Gould, was Dux Scholar.

William obtained nine A-symbols in 2016.

One of the additional subjects he took – and obtained an A in – didn’t even have a teacher!

Another additional subject he took for the first time in Matric.

Norman Henshilwood is an excellent school with dedicated staff and a phenomenal headmaster.

How is it possible that the University of Cape Town would accept the fifth-placed student and the seventh-placed student; yet reject the Dux Scholar with nine A-symbols?

The fifth-placed student, I think, got five A-symbols.

William had his heart set on Medicine.

He was accepted at Stellenbosch but, due to our finances, I am a single parent, we need to wait for confirmation of the NSFAS loan.

I honestly cannot fathom how to motivate a child entering high school to do his best if it'll amount to nothing.

It’s completely unacceptable!

My boys have a history of coming first term after term in order to be subsidised for their fees by the school itself and via a Government subsidy.

What more could he have done?

How is nine A-symbols not competitive enough, academically?

William has been invited to attend the WCED awards ceremony on Saturday in Spine Road, Mitchell's Plain.

But this is a farce, surely.

What does he say if congratulated and asked what he’ll be studying this year?

“Oh, I was rejected by UCT as my marks were not competitive enough for Medicine.”

We’ve moved away from racial classification. Professor Gonda Perez, UCT Medical School

Classes have to reflect the racial makeup of our country. Professor Gonda Perez, UCT Medical School

We need to attract more males into the medical profession. Professor Gonda Perez, UCT Medical School