Perseverance pays

Prof MS Makhanya congratulating Mrs Stoltz on her fine achievement

Mrs Jacqueline Stoltz achieved something very special this year. Despite really difficult circumstances she chose to study hard to obtain her honours qualification. The odds were stacked against her as her husband was in hospital. He was seriously ill for two months so the responsibility for her five-year-old son rested on her shoulders. To add to her challenges her sister was hospitalised while in a coma. This happened during the time Jacqui was preparing for and writing her exams.

The reward was sweet when on 6 December Mrs Stoltz received the Senate Gold Award for top achievement in her studies at the College of Education. She had chosen to persevere and work hard, and it certainly paid off when she won this award with a bursary attached. She will be using it to study further through Unisa and plans to register for a full thesis in December in Inclusive Education, using her prize money to pay for a research proposal module. Her mentor, Prof Cheryl le Roux, said: “Isn’t it wonderful that through the grace of God, a little encouragement, and much perseverance, she was still able to achieve such results.”

Jacqui and Chris Stoltz

Jacqui lives in Amanzimtoti on the KwaZulu Natal South Coast where she teaches the LSEN (Learners with Special Educational Needs) class at Amanzimtoti Primary School. Her motivation to study further was to have a better understanding of education, how learners learn and how best to help them. When she saw a newly published text book on the history of education, she was delighted as she wanted to know exactly what problems were experienced in the past, how they were perceived and dealt with.  With amazement she discovered  that the current issues in education, such as language policy, school fees, the huge economic divide between rural and urban areas, inclusion an so forth, were similar, if not the same, in the past. She found it rewarding to learn how to conduct an oral history interview and to document another person’s account of a time in their lives.  She learnt how to analyse data and documents critically and found a new respect for cartoonists and the vital role they play in interpreting current events. 

The module, HBEDECS (South African Education in Context), took her on an amazing journey where she ultimately learnt that education is a powerful tool that can be used to either empower or oppress people. The debate about language in education was particularly interesting to her and she was surprised to learn just how long this topic has been debated in education and how much of an issue it was and still is today. She feels so grateful that South Africa’s Constitution has made basic education a human right and feels proud to be an educator in this country.

Mrs J Stoltz and Prof CS le Roux

The drive to work hard at her studies comes from her conviction that it is only through hard work and dedication that great things can be achieved. She states that people can give support but ultimately, it is up to you as in life you get out what you put in: “If I expect my learners to give of their best, then surely I need to set the example.” The motivation to give her best also came from being eager to learn as much as she could so as to improve her own teaching.

She described her experience at Unisa as follows:  “I would like to inform you of the excellent service I received from the lecturers who offer the HBEDECS module offered by the College of Education, Prof CS le Roux in particular. I went through a very rough patch personally and was not going to write my exams. However, Prof le Roux encouraged me to give of my best and inspired me to just do what I could.  I was very despondent but listened to the advice.  I wrote all of my exams and am pleased to tell you that I managed to graduate cum laude.  I am so grateful to have had a mentor like Prof le Roux.  Without her support and encouragement I would not have written any of my exams.  She has been an absolute light and pillar of strength to me. After my graduation ceremony in May, I was eager to study further, but did not have the finances to do so.  I was given the opportunity of a bursary through another University in SA, but the topic I had to research was not in my area of interest and I was not entirely happy with all the criteria I had to meet to be a part of this particular research project.  I was feeling rather despondent, but knew if it was the will of God I would find a way to study further.  Several weeks later I received notification that I was being awarded the Senate Gold Award, with a bursary.  As you can imagine, I was elated and felt a huge sense of relief that I could now go ahead with my Master Degree.  I am so grateful that I have this opportunity, but also that I get to research a topic that I am passionate about.  I have applied to register for my Master degree and am eagerly awaiting good news.  Without the bursary this would not have been possible!  ”