Defying all odds that life threw at her, from leaving school at an early age, nothing could deter Thembeni Bridget Ngcobo, from achieving 27 distinctions with a Dean’s Merit award in her Bachelor of Technology (Btech) in Nursing Science.
“It was a paranormal achievement, well expected though that I dedicate to my legendary grandmother, Mrs Elizabeth Mathe. I felt a very unusual sensation mixed with myriad emotions of anxiety, excitement, gratitude, sadness when I reflected back on my four year nursing journey in order to achieve this meticulous achievement. Certain bridges were crossed, requisites met and challenges encountered. Truly time passes within a click of a pen; it is so unbelievable that I have yet again left a tremendous mark,” she said excitedly.
The 42-year- old married mother of four girls and grandmother juggled her nursing education and family demands to achieve excellent academic results. She faced a myriad challenges from adjusting to tertiary education surrounded by young vibrant emerging young adults, lack of adequate knowledge of using modern technical equipment, emotional demands and work overload. “I always felt intense anxiety and high stress levels associated with tests, presentations and exam preparations. Regardless, I had to fight hard to restore and maintain both mental and physical health,” she stressed.
For four years she was 72km away from her girls who were all entering different developmental stages in life.. She visited home every Friday and returned to campus on a Sunday. “Mind you it was never about time off; I was to ensure all house chores for the week were done, meet marital demands, as a chairlady of a local community women’s club I attended meetings and at times I would have assignments and homework for the weekend. Thus adequate time for family and personal pursuits became a dream for me. When I felt the load was becoming extremely heavy and academic going became tougher my beloved daughter Nokuthula always lent me her shoulder to lean on. Hence all of the above challenges, I have always been among the top 5 in the class in all modules. I am a person who ensures she leaves a positive mark in every pathway she passes,” she said proudly.
Her path to choosing nursing was also destined from childhood. In her childhood stage she would render basic nursing care in cases of minor injuries while her friends cried and fled in fear of blood. When Ngcobo and her friends played dolly house she was always the one nominated to play the nurse role, though her utmost interest was in teaching.
Before her tertiary journey, Ngcobo had no option but to leave school in Standard Nine to work in order to assist her parents financially in the upbringing of her siblings. In 2012 she enrolled with ABET (Adult Based Education and Training) and was recognised as KwaZulu-Natal’s (KZN’s) 2012 top adult learner in Mathematics Literacy, Travel and Tourism and Life Orientation. At the award ceremony at ICC in Durban, MEC Dr Zweli Mkhize said to her that he saw a very bright future ahead for her. His inspiring words motivated her to matriculate in June 2013 and apply for Bachelor of Education (BEd) at DUT.
From there on she has not looked back and always strived to do her best. At the 2017 Nursing Lamp Lighting and Pledge Ceremony she was the overall achiever for the class, obtaining seven awards.
“In the process of this meticulous achievement I have benefited from the support of many whom I am exceptionally grateful to. Words cannot adequately express my heartfelt thanks to my husband for being both a father and mother to our children during the years of my absence; my children for understanding that all I did was for the betterment of our lives. I am also indebted to DUT staff for their immeasurable support towards enriching my life, mostly my dearest Ntombi Moshoeshoe, who ensured that the children and I never ran out of basic necessities, as well as my late uncle Mr John Mdletshe,” she said.
When she initially applied for the qualification she was told she was too old for the programme. The then nursing department secretary Ms Ntombela said that she did not meet the programme’s selection criteria in terms of age though her matric results were good. “I begged and pleaded that I be given a chance to prove that age is nothing but a number. She then called me for an entrance test and said only the results would tell if she can take the risk to enrol me. Outcome of the interview was splendid, I recall my interviewers asking time and number whether I worked in the health sector before. From day one at university I sat myself on a mission to make Ms Ntombela not regret her decision to go against the programme policy,” she confessed.
Ngcobo’s academic journey is not yet over as she plans to register for her Master’s in Nursing Science at DUT and thereafter do a post-grad in Nursing Education and Management with the hope of becoming one of DUT’s lecturers.
She believes nursing is a profession to be taken with passion, compassion and devotion. “The fact that one is an enrolled academic student denotes that they met the selection criteria and therefore belong in university regardless of socio-economic standing, but only hard work and determination enhances academic success,” she said.
Pictured: Mrs Thembeni Ngcobo who graduated Cum laude and with a Deans Merit this morning (Thursday, 26 April 2018).
Waheeda Peters
