CONTENTS
Jabu Sithole says when you are part of something, like a university that is widely respected and ever growing, you feel privileged and cannot help but champion the cause of higher education.
Chasing his dreams
Growing up in a single-parent household, Jabu quickly learned that he had to do his utmost best at school to help his mother, a domestic worker.
He attended the Samuel Sebego Paki Secondary School in Vredefort in the Free State and recalls the trying circumstances he and his class mates had to overcome.
In matric, they had very few text books and no access to previous exam papers to aid in their revision. Learners also had to take turns to use the school’s limited number of classrooms.
The NWU’s Ikateleng project was a lifeline for Jabu, who enrolled with the project in his matric year in 2004.
After Jabu started attending the project’s Saturday classes, his performance in accounting and maths improved substantially and he started dreaming of becoming an accountant. He passed the National Senior Certificate Examination with full exemption and a distinction in mathematics.
“I look back now and I am glad I persisted and made use of the opportunity that the Ikateleng project afforded me. The playing field was levelled and I was ready to make my mark.”
Jabu Sithole – an alumnus to the power of three
Jabu Sithole has not only witnessed the powerful impact education has on the youth; he has lived it three times over.
He is an alumnus of the NWU’s flagship supplementary teaching programme, Ikateleng, a BCom Accounting graduate and the holder of a postgraduate certificate in education (PGCE).
Jabu, who is a student recruiter at the campus in Vanderbijlpark and responsible for coordinating the Ikateleng project in the Vaal Triangle region, is passionate about empowering prospective students through information sharing and career guidance.
Having started out as an Ikateleng learner himself, he can easily connect with young learners since he understands the challenges they face and is sensitive to their educational needs. In short: he walks the walk and talks the talk.
“I am proud to say that I benefited from the system and that I am now in a position to pay it forward. Honestly speaking, the NWU changed my life for the good and I will forever be thankful for the way it shaped me as an individual,” says Jabu.
From volunteer educator to regional champion
Jabu holds fond memories of his life as a student on the campus in Vanderbijlpark. He served as the vice-chairperson of the student body Ch@s – Connecting Helpers and Students, and enjoyed organised student life. After graduating with his BCom Accounting degree in 2009, he enrolled for his PGCE in 2010.
After completing his qualification, he combined two of his greatest passions: accounting and servant leadership.He started as a volunteer teacher at the Tsolo Secondary School and word soon spread of his exceptional teaching methods and success in accounting sciences.
It wasn’t long before he landed his first full-time teaching position at the Beverly Hills High School in Evaton, Gauteng.
In addition to teaching accounting which is often viewed as a problematic subject, Jabu was on the coordinating team and a tutor for the NWU’s Vaal Ikateleng project – the very same project that had helped him during his final year of schooling.
One of the career accolades he is proudest of was being named Best Educator in Accounting for 2015 in the Evaton West area. At Beverly Hills High School, his learners have achieved a 100% pass rate in accounting since 2010.
Walking the extra mile
Jabu’s impact is not limited to the classroom. He frequently tutors school learners and even university students in accounting and conducts financial workshops in the community.
“It all boils down to being a change maker, and if I can make an impact – be it through teaching, mentoring, community engagement and now as a student recruiter– I believe that I am fulfilling my God-given destiny,” explains Jabu, who joined the NWU’s Marketing and Student Recruitment team in 2016.
His motto is to do what he enjoys and to work for his own and others’ improvement in the process. His greatest pride is seeing his former students excel. “What better legacy to leave behind than to empower youngsters to realise their dreams and then to witness them say ‘now it’s your turn’ to the next generation of dreamers?”
The NWU & U
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Palesa, Siphoesihle and Jabu. “I want to teach my son, Siphoesihle, to do unto others as you would have them do unto you. Go the extra mile. Plant a seed of hope. Be generous. Bring some happiness, whenever you can.”
More than 100 learners – representing more than 15 schools in the Vaal Triangle region – are taking part in the 2018 rendition of the Ikateleng project.
More than 100 learners – representing more than 15 schools in the Vaal Triangle region – are taking part in the 2018 rendition of the Ikateleng project.
More than 100 learners – representing more than 15 schools in the Vaal Triangle region – are taking part in the 2018 rendition of the Ikateleng project.
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