Durban - Priscilla Nkawu was honoured with the Dean’s Merit Award for her Advanced Diploma in Adult Community Education and Training cum laude, which she received from the Durban University of Technology (DUT) during a graduation ceremony at the Indumiso Campus Hall in Pietermaritzburg on Monday.
The university said the 49-year-old from Uitenhage in the Eastern Cape is passionate about teaching adults.
She is currently working at the Eastern Cape Community Education and Training College where she serves as a centre manager at John Walton Community Learning Centre.
Nkawu said she was ecstatic upon receiving the news that she had achieved cum laude and the esteemed Dean’s Merit Award.
She said she gained this achievement through thorough hard work and added that her children now view her as an inspiration.
As a full-time employee, Nkawu said she struggled to commit to her full-time job and studies. She said that it put so much pressure on her.
“Being grouped with members that could not fully participate during assignments, challenged me. Online learning became the new normal and therefore sessions could not sometimes run as planned because of network, data and load shedding problems,” she said.
However, Nkawu said she is thankful to her lecturers, Zamalotshwe Sefatsa and Thandi Gumbi for the role they played.
“When I was facing difficulties in understanding, my lecturers never became tired of being the light in the dark. The support that they gave me is overwhelming, it is because of them that I am where I am now. These lecturers played a big role in shaping my way of thinking and developing my self-esteem,” she said.
She dedicated this achievement to her peers and lecturers, who she believes shaped her career and made a significant impact through their willingness to assist her.
Nkawu advised first year students to be critical and always ask questions whenever they feel unsure.