A mother-of-three who works as a petrol attendant became the first in her family to graduate after obtaining a degree from the University of South Africa (Unisa).
Masutane Othilia Sebetha, 38, recently graduated with a Bachelor of Education in Intermediate Phase Teaching.
In an article posted on the university’s website, the woman from Thembisa in Gauteng, said her journey required her to go an extra mile because her job didn’t offer her a study leave. It is believed that she wasn’t offered the study leave as her qualification was not benefiting her employer. She could not quit because she is a breadwinner.
She had to find a way to juggle a full-time job where she worked night shifts, find time for her family, her academic work, and do practicals.
At some point, she suffered from fatigue and almost lost her job, but she kept pushing herself.
“Giving up was not an option I was willing to take. I was determined to meet demands from all fronts. It is not an easy road, but it is worth it. Defying the odds is never easy, but with determination, you can overcome any challenge,’’ she told Unisa.
Narrating her background, Sebetha said she was raised by a single mother who struggled to make ends meet and she made matters worse by falling pregnant in 2007 with no means to provide for the child.
She said she was left to support the baby on her own after the father decided to bail out when the baby was five months.
This pushed her to get a job at a local restaurant where she worked from 2008 until 2012. She subsequently got a job as a petrol attendant at a local filling station where she is still employed.
Five years into the job, Sebetha said she felt inspired to pursue higher education and in 2018, she applied for a teaching degree, however, she was accepted to enrol for a higher certificate qualification.
Sebetha passed the higher certificate and enrolled for her degree the following year.
"I wanted access to higher education to change my circumstances. Today, I am the first to graduate in my maternal side of the family,’’ she was quoted saying.
She graduate with her teaching degree in May 2024
IOL News