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Truck driver meets his dream at Unisa
True to Unisa’s vision of shaping futures in the service of humanity, the institution has turned a grateful truck driver into a Bachelor of Education (BEd) graduate in alignment with the UN’s Sustainable Development Goal 4, which advocates for inclusive and equitable quality education and lifelong learning opportunities for all.
Sibonelo Nsindane
It is well established that truck drivers often work impractical hours, coupled with strikes, low wages, fatigue and sleep deprivation, but that did not stop Sibonelo Nsindane, 39, from pursuing his dream of studying to become a teacher. As a result, Nsidane, a father of four sons from Bulwer, a small town in KwaZulu-Natal (KZN) Midlands, graduated with a Bachelor of Education, Intermediate and Senior Phase.
From getting into road accidents, being fired, changing employers, and writing assignments at truck stops, Nsidane never gave up believing he could make history in his industry. He explains: “In the truck industry, they did not understand that I am studying to be a teacher. As a result, I had disagreements with employers and often got fired.” He adds that one time he went to the Commission for Conciliation, Mediation and Arbitration (CCMA) to have the employer give him time to write his exams; unfortunately, he lost the case.
“I also once had an accident on my way to Pretoria from KZN. Upon inspection of the internal cameras, the employer found that I was studying when I was supposed to be sleeping. So, unfortunately, I was fired immediately,” explains Nsindane. However, he was compensated with some money he used to pay for his studies and invest in a chick farm.
Nsindane says his wake-up call was when he found himself away from his family for many months and realised that this would be his reality for some time unless he did something about it. He says: “I would be away from home for about three to four months.” He adds: “My wake-up call came after a company had me travel away from my family for six months. During this period, in 2014, I registered at Unisa.” He says: “I am a teacher by nature. Everywhere I go, I teach people and empower them.”
Nsindane’s leave application to attend his graduation was denied, but true to his determination, he arrived at the #2022UnisaAutumn graduations in KZN, wearing his work suit. He says: “I came with a work truck as they refused to grant me the day off to attend the graduation ceremony. So, I had to take the truck back to Cape Town from the ceremony.”
His advice to Unisa staff is to be patient and consistent with every student, just as they were with him, because their academic needs are unique and special, according to their backgrounds. He adds that he will use this achievement to motivate his co-workers before leaving the industry for a full-time teaching post.
*By Godfrey Madibane, Unisa Radio Journalist, Department of Institutional Advancement
Publish date: 2022-08-12 00:00:00.0
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