When the Marks Don't Tell the Whole Story

When Bianca Schultz finally received her RE5 examination result, she didn't simply send a message to announce that she had passed. She wanted to speak to Ulandi Bekker, one of the people who had supported her through more than a year of preparation, uncertainty and disappointment.

Her result was 70%.

It was the news Bianca, her family and the RE5 Online team had been hoping for.

During their conversation on 30 October 2026, Bianca said something that Ulandi has thought about ever since.

“Jy het in my geglo toe niemand in my geglo het nie.”

For Bianca, passing her Moonstone RE5 examination was about much more than obtaining a regulatory examination certificate. It was the end of a long and difficult chapter, and an important step towards her future in financial services.

More than a year of RE5 exam preparation

Bianca first accessed the RE5 Online learning platform on 1 August 2025.

At the time, she was considering a self-study option and was understandably cautious about spending money on another course.

She wanted to pass the Regulatory Examination for Representatives (RE5), which forms part of the regulatory requirements applicable to many representatives working in South Africa's financial services industry.

What followed was not a straightforward learning journey.

Over the next 455 calendar days, Bianca continued working through RE5 study material, attending training, completing assessments and contacting the support team. Her Moodle learning records show activity on 177 separate days.

But as the months passed, preparation became increasingly difficult emotionally.

In February 2026, while preparing for an examination date, Bianca told an advisor she was struggling with the questions. A mock-exam review with Ulandi was suggested, but Bianca was reluctant to attempt another assessment.

She was afraid she would fail.

That hesitation was understandable. She had been working hard, yet the results she wanted remained out of reach.

By June, Bianca was still questioning whether she knew enough. She contacted RE5 Online after opening another mock examination, explaining that she was nervous about attempting it despite all the studying she had done.

It was becoming clear that Bianca needed more than another reminder to revise her notes.

She understood the FAIS legislation. Why was the exam still so difficult?

During individual discussions and RE5 mock-exam reviews, Ulandi noticed something that didn't seem to fit Bianca's results.

Bianca could explain the legislation.

She could discuss regulatory principles, the Financial Advisory and Intermediary Services (FAIS) Act and the responsibilities of financial services representatives in considerable detail.

She could often explain a concept verbally, yet struggle when faced with a multiple-choice question testing that same knowledge.

The difference caught Ulandi's attention. Bianca's difficulties did not appear to be explained simply by a lack of effort or understanding.

Her RE5 exam technique, interpretation of questions and ability to demonstrate her knowledge under assessment conditions needed closer attention.

It was a point that changed the conversations they were having. Instead of only recommending more revision, the focus increasingly shifted towards understanding what was happening when Bianca attempted examination questions.

That meant looking beyond the marks.

Recognising when a student may need additional support

As Ulandi got to know Bianca and her family better, it became clear that some of the challenges deserved attention outside the normal examination-preparation process.

Ulandi encouraged Bianca and her mother to consult a doctor who could properly assess her circumstances and advise them.

It was not a question of an educator diagnosing a medical condition. It was recognising the limits of educational support and encouraging the family to obtain appropriate professional guidance.

Another important consideration was the way Bianca would write her official Moonstone examination.

The RE5 Online team encouraged her to contact Moonstone about examination accommodations, including additional time and assistance with reading the questions.

Kimberly at Moonstone assisted Bianca with the arrangements.

During the conversation after her successful examination, Bianca explained that the questions had been read aloud to her while she worked through the answers.

The reader did not select answers on Bianca's behalf. Bianca still had to understand the questions, apply her knowledge of the FAIS legislation and choose her responses.

For a candidate who had struggled to translate her understanding into examination results, those arrangements formed an important part of her experience.

Kimberly and the Moonstone team deserve recognition for their assistance. The people who coordinate examination accommodations often work quietly behind the scenes, but their guidance can matter greatly to the candidates they help.

The RE5 mock-exam results tell only part of the story

Throughout 2026, Bianca remained in regular contact with RE5 Online.

Fergie Eleveld helped coordinate additional resources, mock-examination feedback and arrangements for further preparation. Ulandi continued working with Bianca on understanding examination questions and identifying what was preventing her from achieving more consistent results.

Bianca attended another RE5 live online webinar programme in June. Later that month, she achieved 66% in a mock examination.

In August, the team sent her three additional question papers. Her access to the learning platform was extended by another 60 days, allowing her to continue preparing.

Further revision and assessments followed.

Between September and October 2026, Bianca started 19 RE5 Online mock examinations and completed 16.

Her results were far from consistent. On 25 September, she achieved just 50% in one practice examination. On 21 October, she achieved 78%.

Her learning report records almost 37 hours of mock-examination activity, alongside other learning and revision resources.

Those figures show how much effort went into preparing for her examination, but they don't tell the whole story.

They don't show the frustration of knowing an answer and then second-guessing yourself. They don't capture the anxiety of opening another practice examination after a disappointing result.

And they don't reflect the conversations where Bianca was encouraged to slow down, read the question carefully and apply the examination technique she had been taught.

There were times when the support team had to be firm with her. But they continued working with her.

For Bianca, that ongoing relationship became an important part of her RE5 exam preparation.

An examination day she will never forget

On 28 October 2026, Bianca travelled from Limpopo to Pretoria to write her Moonstone RE5 examination.

The journey itself was frightening.

She later explained that, near Vaalwater, a truck crossed into their lane after its driver apparently fell asleep. Her brother-in-law managed to swerve out of its path, narrowly avoiding a collision.

They continued to Pretoria, although the experience had left them shaken. After everything that had gone into preparing for this examination, Bianca was determined to write.

When it was over, she returned home and waited for her result. She checked the Moonstone website repeatedly.

Then, finally, she saw that her certificate was available to download.

She had passed with 70%.

Bianca told her mother, who became emotional. Her sister's reaction was equally enthusiastic.

And on 30 October, she contacted Ulandi. She wanted to share the moment with someone who understood what it had taken to get there.

Why personal RE5 exam support matters

There is no shortage of RE5 study material available online.

Prospective candidates can choose between inexpensive self-study resources, recorded lessons, RE5 online training courses, live webinars and practice-question packages.

For someone who is comfortable studying independently, a relatively inexpensive course may provide everything they need.

But Bianca's experience illustrates why some learners need more.

When her mock-examination results were disappointing, she had people she could contact. When she struggled with the wording of questions, she could discuss those difficulties with someone who understood the RE5 examination.

And when her challenges appeared to extend beyond the learning material itself, she was encouraged to seek appropriate professional guidance and explore examination accommodations.

That is the distinction between simply having access to information and having access to personalised educational support.

The updated RE5 study guide, webinars and online RE5 mock examinations formed part of Bianca's preparation. So did the conversations, feedback, additional resources and willingness to adapt her approach.

Her experience is not a promise that every student will achieve the same result. It is an example of what can happen when a training provider takes the time to understand the individual behind the assessment.

A success shared by more than one person

Bianca earned her RE5 certificate through her own work and determination. But she is also quick to recognise the people who supported her.

Her family remained involved through the difficult periods. Fergie and the RE5 Online team continued helping her with assessments, learning resources and practical arrangements.

Ulandi worked with her to understand why her examination performance did not always reflect her knowledge. A healthcare professional formed part of the wider process of understanding her circumstances.

And Moonstone, with Kimberly's assistance, helped arrange support for her examination.

Each contributed in a different way. None could answer the examination for her. That part remained Bianca's responsibility.

And on 28 October 2026, she did it.

Now she wants to help someone else

One of the most memorable parts of Bianca's conversation with Ulandi came after they had celebrated her pass.

Bianca began talking about other people preparing for their regulatory examinations. She had encountered candidates who were unsure where to begin with their RE5 studies, how to approach the examination or where to find reliable guidance.

She wanted to help them.

When Ulandi mentioned that RE5 Online offers commission for successful student referrals, Bianca wasn't interested in the money.

“Ek wil net die verskil sien.”

Having spent so long struggling with her own examination preparation, Bianca understood how much appropriate support could mean to someone who was losing confidence.

She also spoke about her interest in training and helping people develop their potential. It was a fitting conversation for someone whose own experience had demonstrated the difference that patient guidance could make.

For now, however, Bianca has something else to enjoy.

The RE5 exam is finally behind her. She has her certificate. And after more than a year of uncertainty, she can look ahead without that examination hanging over her.

Her story is a reminder that an examination mark doesn't always reflect a person's knowledge, effort or potential.

Sometimes the most useful question an educator can ask is not why a student isn't studying harder, but why the effort they're already making isn't producing the results they need.

For Bianca Schultz, understanding that difference was an important part of finding her way forward.

And after 455 days, she finally got to make the telephone call she had been waiting to make.