“Age only determines our level of human life and physical development; however, if we do not learn, our knowledge does not increase with age." These were words uttered by 54-year-old Nomgqibelo Martha Jonga, who received her National Diploma in Public Management at Walter Sisulu University’s Butterworth Campus graduation.
The widowed mother of three, enrolled in the Faculty of Management Sciences at WSU in 2019. She is a student as well as an Administrative Clerk at the Matatiele Department of Education.
Though her journey was not an easy one, she has now obtained her first tertiary qualification as a result of her dedication and hard work.
“Graduating from university has always been my ambition since I was a child, but due to my low socioeconomic status, I was unable to continue my studies after completing Matric. I married, had three children, and then my husband died, making things even worse. After receiving a government bursary at the age of 52, I decided to return to school. Being a mother, grandmother, employee, and head of the household made it difficult for me to concentrate and focus on my studies, and as a result, I failed one semester module," Jonga explained.
COVID-19 struck the world in 2020, and virtual learning was the only way to continue with studies. As an elderly woman who was already struggling with her studies, this made things even more difficult for Jonga.
"I wouldn't say the adjustments were simple, but they were not as onerous as I had anticipated, and the effort was well worth it. I could not even submit team tasks or find a class when we had to attend; I felt like a fish out of water at first, especially since most of today's university students were weaned on technology and found it much easier to navigate," she said.
Despite the numerous hurdles she encountered, the one thing Jonga refused to do was to give up. She would go to bed late and get up early to study. After finally graduating, her wish is to find a bursary so she can further her studies.
“You can never be too old to establish a new goal or imagine a new fantasy. Let go of the anxiety of not fitting in as an older student and embrace your life experience as an asset you bring to class debates and group projects”, advised Jonga.
By Sibabalwe Kela
