Two top-achieving graduates from the University of Johannesburg (UJ) have turned the challenges in their lives into further inspiration to teach Science and Technology Education.
Mr Jameson Goto received the award for best Master’s coursework graduate in ICT in Education at the award ceremony of the UJ Department of Science and Technology Education (SciTechEd) at the Kingsway Campus, on Wednesday, 15 March 2017, hosted by the Faculty of Education.
At the same event, Ms Mamorena Khasu received two awards: one for best student in FET 4th year BEd research project in Civil Technology Education; and another for best student in FET 4th year BEd research project in Engineering Graphics and Design Education.
Grabbing attention
Mr Jameson Goto, a UJ Master’s graduate currently pursuing his Doctoral studies, is originally from Wedza district in Mashonaland East Province in Zimbabwe. At UJ he was able to reach his goal of fulfilling and reinventing his teaching pedagogy.
“I chose teaching over other careers because it is exciting to inspire today’s ‘bored and disinterested’ students to think differently, critically and imaginatively. I believe that young people have the potential to change their future by working hard, and must not be limited by their past circumstances. There is nothing they can do to change their past, but their future is in their hands,” said Goto.
He has always had the urge to give his best academically, because if he does not, he will always regret his failure, which he finds intolerable, he said. He added that pulling through has never been an easy task, but prioritizing can make it manageable.
“Occasionally, I would feel down when I put in lots of hours into a task and get a mark that does not reflect the effort exerted. However I have grown to realize that it not the amount of time I spent on tasks that are important but the moments of creativity and efficient work”, he concluded.
Courage from family
Ms Mamorena Khasu from Protea Glen, had never imagined she would be one of the students to be recognized for exceptional work, or even better, in two disciplines.
Fitting into varsity life with the financial struggles she had was not easy for the 22-year old, and she had to make a choice between fitting in and working hard. “My mother worked hard to pay for my fees. My sister, who was also in varsity, was my motivation to make it through my hardships and negativity,” said Ms Khasu.
“Every time I thought of giving up because of finances and struggling between my practical sessions, work and school work, I would tell myself that failure and dropping out are more expensive than my mother’s current struggle. Fortunately, my financial situation changed when I got a bursary from Funza Lusaka, and things got easier”, she said.
Experience is the best teacher and there is always room for personal growth, no matter what, said both Goto and Khasu.
