The advent of open distance learning (ODL) redefined the meaning of access to higher formal academic education. This has far reaching results that will impact on the lives of people for many years to come.
One of its success stories is Kosta Phakathi, who has a moving story to tell about his academic journey. He grew up in Soweto. His mother, who was a domestic worker, raised him with the little that she received from her employment. When she was diagnosed with cancer, she had to stop working, and, as a result, Kosta dropped out of school in grade 11.
After the death of his mother, he got a job in Florida as a gardener in a residential complex in 1998. “I was doing garden maintenance and assisting the caretaker,” he recalled. His passion for his studies never died, though, and he always wanted to go back and finish high school. In 1999 he went back to complete his matric through afternoon classes at Optimus Foundation. “I realised that, without education, life could be very difficult,” he said.
The year 2000 remains one of his memorable years. “I got my matric and I never looked back.” The certificate gave him confidence and he dared to go forward. He enrolled for Electrical Engineering at the Florida Campus of the then Technikon South Africa. With his busy schedule of working during the day, he had to rely on ODL to pave the way. “I would only take few modules per semester because of financial reasons,” he said. Through his perseverance, he has now almost completed his diploma, with only a few modules and his internship outstanding, which he should complete this year.
Despite the many hardships single-handedly borne, the perseverance that defines Kosta was finally recognised and rewarded in early 2011. Three lecturers who present short courses through the Centre for Software Engineering in the School of Computing of the College of Science, Engineering and Technology (CSET), Dr Mac van der Merwe, Marianne Loock and Christa Prinsloo, decided that they would like to use a large percentage of their 2010 course income to cover the study fees of a few deserving students.
But as Dr Mac van der Merwe explains, “We did not want to pay the money into a fund and then stand back giving ourselves moral high fives. We wanted to be part of a process where students with an excellent academic record, but who have been dealt a few wrong cards in life, were identified, supported and mentored throughout their studies.”
*Source: Inspired Vol 7, No 1; May 2011
