Cape Town - Almost 50 years after passing matric, Richard Scott, who is a senior clerk at the University of Fort Hare, has obtained his first university degree.
The 62-year-old who graduated with a Bachelor of Administration in Public Administration also became the first university graduate in his family.
“Walking across that stage, enrobed in my academic regalia, being capped by the chancellor, and then congratulated by the registrar, has been an almost unimaginable dream which I had long given up on. And yet, God willing, that is the scene that played out on during the graduation,” he said.
Scott completed his matric in 1978 and although he obtained the required results for tertiary institution admission, his family’s financial circumstances did not permit him to do so at the time.
“My folks simply could not afford to send me to a tertiary institution to further my studies. I made peace with it and got on with life the best way I could. I ventured into a technical career path, very far removed from any academic nuances and I worked as I could to support my family,” he said.
A few years later, he became an employee at UFH, and in 2020 he enrolled for the Bachelor of Public Administration qualification
“Basically, I went back to the world of studying after 42 years, during which time I had barely read a book. It was very daunting at first when I discovered the extent of the reading and preparation one had to do as a student, but I was not going to be deterred,” he said.
In 2022, his spouse had a bad run with her health and had to be hospitalised for a while which put added pressure on trying to keep up with his studies.
Despite all the obstacles on his journey, Scott managed to pass every single one of his modules.
“This would not have been possible without the advice and assistance I received from a very loving supportive family and awesome dedicated and driven lecturers and fellow students.
“Many of my friends and family members are very proud of my achievement, but I am the proudest because I know first-hand the challenges I endured to achieve the end goal,” he said.
Cape Times