Mr Tumelo Vincent Mekgwe received the University of Johannesburg’s (UJ) Faculty of Education Chancellor’s Medal for the Most Meritorious Masters Study on 22 July 2024.

The 32-year-old, from the rural village of Pitsedisulejang in Rustenburg, North West, lives by Nelson Mandela’s quote: “Education is the great engine of personal development. It is through education that the daughter of a peasant can become a doctor, that the son of a mineworker can become the head of the mine, that a child of farmworkers can become the president of a great nation.”

Currently, Mekgwe is a learner support teacher at Kakatlela Primary School in Klerksdorp.

His educational journey began at North West University (NWU) and continued at UJ, where he earned his Honours in Psychology and a Postgraduate Certificate in Education, both with Cum Laude. He then returned to NWU for his Honours in Education Management. Last year, Mekgwe completed his Masters in Education at UJ, again with Cum Laude.

“I pursued a Master’s in inclusive education at UJ due to my passion for supporting learners from various backgrounds. This qualification has equipped me with the skills, knowledge, and strategies to create inclusive classroom environments where all students can thrive academically, socially, and emotionally.”

Mekgwe chose UJ for his studies because of the positive experience he had during his Honours year in 2015. He is now a PhD candidate in Education.

“UJ felt like home away from home. The lecturers and support staff were caring and made my academic journey seamless. UJ has always gone the extra mile in organising lecturers and uploading them to uLink to provide educational support. UJ has provided me with qualifications that afforded me a job as an excellent educator. Furthermore, besides being ranked the top university in South Africa and globally, UJ has prepared me to become an independent and impact-driven individual. That is why I even opted to pursue my PhD at the great University of Johannesburg.”

His Master’s dissertation explored parental involvement in supporting the academic performance of intermediate-phase learners in a low socio-economic context. The study found that parents have an inadequate understanding of parental involvement in academics and advocates for policies that support this critical role.

Upon learning he would receive the Chancellor’s Medal, Mekgwe expressed his excitement.

“This is a demonstration that, indeed, hard work and commitment pay off. My journey was not smooth sailing, mainly since I am employed full-time. I lost my grandmother and grandfather during my studying time (2023), so I had to balance family, work, and academic commitments. This achievement was possible mainly because of the support from Dr. N. Maseko – my supervisor, whom I regard as a mother, my family, my colleagues and my friends especially from the UJ study group. Above all, glory be to God for his mercies and grace; his love endures forever.”

Mekgwe hopes to one day serve within the academic staff at UJ, helping other students reach their potential.