"People demotivated me": Proud woman who matriculated with diploma graduates cum laude

• A young woman, Lihle Masekela, graduated cum laude, inspiring many after her journey from a diploma pass in high school
• Cum laude signifies exceptional academic excellence, showcasing Lihle's dedication and resilience in her education
• Social media users celebrated her achievement, sharing their own academic struggles and aspirations for success

A University of the Western Cape graduate, Lihle Masekela, revealed that she passed her final year in high school with a diploma, thinking that there was no going up from there. However, four years later, the educated woman graduated cum laude, receiving praise from social media users.

The Bachelor of Arts graduate shared the news on her TikTok account on 10 April 2026 and revealed that after high school, she had upgraded her matric subjects, adding:

"People demotivated me."

Take a look at Lihle's achievement in the TikTok post below:

What does a diploma pass and cum laude mean?

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Passing with a high school diploma means learners will gain provisional entrance into any University of Technology or diploma course. Individuals must obtain at least 40% for their home language, at least 40% for four other high credit subjects, and at least 30% for two other subjects.

Cum laude is a Latin phrase, which translates to 'with praise' in English, used to give an academic honour to students who have shown exceptional excellence in their studies, explains the information hub Bold.org. It allows a learning institution to acknowledge and 'praise' outstanding academic achievements.

South Africans congratulate the graduate

Several social media users shared how proud they were of Lihle's achievement.

@phelosimo shared in the comment section:

"This motivates me. I don’t want to lie. Next year, I am redoing my Grade 12. I don’t know how I will survive, but I will definitely do it hard or not at all! Tired of working at retail stores, crying, and complaining every day."

@zuzu_m31 revealed their success under the post:

"Last year, around this time, I was upgrading and literally going crazy. Today, I'm an engineering student."

@his_prettygirl07 thanked Lihle for sharing her journey and wrote:

"This is so inspiring because I, too, passed with a diploma pass, and now I'm getting ready for rewrites. I feel like I'm so behind."

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@wheetbix24 reminisced and added:

"I still remember the group chat we had for people upgrading. Congratulations, cousin. It’s your turn."

@preciousminu added in the comments:

"Argh, congratulations, and well done for never giving up on yourself."

3 Other stories about educated women

• In another article, Briefly News reported that a South African graduate celebrated her Oxford University qualification. Her milestone prompted internet users to call her proof that dreams come true.
• An inspiring South African woman, Zempilo Gumede, shared how she earned six qualifications before turning 30. Zempilo urged people to reach their goals and remember they are capable of anything.
• A Stellenbosch University student shared that she graduated with eight distinctions in medicine. Many members of the online community congratulated the young woman on her impressive academic achievement.

Source: Briefly News