By Staff Reporter
Sixty alumni of the Gadra Matric School (GMS) graduated from Rhodes University this week – a record high.
Gadra, Rhodes University (RU) and several partner institutions have been building pathways that facilitate access to the university, including the Nine-Tenths Mentoring Programme, the GMS and the Rhodes Bridging Programme.
Some of the most notable achievements of the 2024 GMS Rhodes graduates include:
- Twenty of the GMS graduates accessed Rhodes via the Bridging Programme.
- Eighteen GMS alumni are awarded post-graduate qualifications, including Eldridge Goliath, who graduated with a Master of Education.
- Two students, Liselihle Kanana and Nqoba Boyi, graduated with distinction. Liselihle was among only two students awarded the Thelma Henderson Scholarship in 2023.
Eldridge Goliath, Master of Education
Eldridge Goliath arrived young and fresh-faced in Makhanda from Pearston in 2015. At Pearston Secondary School, he attained a Diploma-level pass, so he registered at the Gadra Matric School in 2015 to rewrite English FAL, History and Life Sciences.
He attained a Bachelor-level pass and improved his RU entrance points sufficiently to gain entry into the Education Faculty to do a BEd degree in 2016. Eldridge flew through his BEd, qualifying as a Foundation Phase teacher and returning to teach in Pearston in 2020.
While teaching full-time, Eldridge enrolled for a BEd Honours degree at Rhodes in 2021 and graduated in 2022. Never content to rest on his laurels, Eldridge then registered for a Master’s degree in Education and completed his Masters to graduate on Friday, 5 April 2024. He is still a committed and passionate Foundation Phase teacher – watch this space for Dr Goliath!
Liselihle Kanana graduates with distinctions
Liselihle Kanana graduated with a Bachelor of Education with Distinction. She has maintained excellent academic performance throughout her undergraduate years.
She obtained a Bachelor’s level pass at Ntsika in 2018, but with insufficient university admission points to be accepted at Rhodes and registered at the Gadra Matric School in 2019. Because she had secured a Bachelor’s pass at Ntsika, she was offered Psychology as a Bridging Course at Rhodes in 2019 whilst simultaneously lifting her points through Life Sciences and Mathematical Literacy at GMS. She earned a Mathematical Literacy distinction at year-end and secured her Psychology credit.
Some of the many highlights of her undergraduate years were travelling to Switzerland in December 2022 as part of a student exchange programme and being awarded the prestigious Thelma Henderson Bursary in 2023.
Liswelihle Ndzengu – from mentee to mentor
Liswelihle Ndzengu graduated with a Postgraduate Certificate in Education (PGCE) this year after completing his BA in Anthropology and Political and International Studies in 2022.
She enrolled at the GMS in 2019 and took Psychology 1 at Rhodes as part of the Bridging Programme. “The first weeks were tough as I struggled to balance my GMS subjects like English Home Language and History with the demands of Psychology 1,” Ndzengu said.
“Thankfully, the school provided incredible support, especially from my history teacher, Mrs Lancaster, who checked in on me and encouraged breaks to avoid burnout. Mr and Mrs Hacksley were also instrumental in ensuring my success in my Rhodes and Gadra subjects, prioritising my well-being. One class that made a significant difference was the writing skills class, where we honed our academic writing abilities.
“We had supportive tutors (Indi and Zakes) for Psychology 1, which carved my success of obtaining a distinction in Psychology 1,” Ndzengu said.
“Reflecting on my journey, I felt inspired to play my part in ensuring others get the same experience as I did in moulding my academic journey. So, I returned to Gadra as a mentor from 2021 to 2022 and discovered a passion for guiding and assisting learners. I pursued a PGCE to further my commitment to the education sector and contribute to capacitating young people,” Ndzengu added.
“An opportunity knocked again when I was offered the role of a support tutor for Politics 1, which I jumped at accepting. Even in this role, I received immense support, highlighting the nurturing environment that Gadra is.
“I am deeply grateful for the unwavering support and encouragement from Gadra as I feel the school’s commitment to bettering the lives of young people through education has ignited an interest in me to embark on my journey in using education as a tool to inspire young people,” Ndzengu said.
Meaningful access to Rhodes
Gadra manager Dr Ashley Westaway said the GMS alums were not just accessing Rhodes University but were also graduating from Rhodes. “The stellar Gadra graduation outcomes indicate that the access to Rhodes is meaningful and substantive,” he said.
“Graduation with a university degree or post-graduate qualification considerably enhances one’s economic prospects through securing meaningful employment or starting one’s own business.
“As we celebrate all the 2024 graduates of Rhodes University, we can draw inspiration from the knowledge that we are succeeding in our mission to transform the educational landscape in Makhanda,” Westaway said.
The Rhodes Bridging Programme
In 2016, Rhodes Vice-Chancellor Prof Sizwe Mabizela invited Gadra to conceptualise a Bridging Programme to see select GMS students simultaneously upgrading a couple of National Senior Certificate (NSC) subjects and registering for one or two Rhodes first-year credits.
The program was successfully piloted in 2017, resulting in its subsequent expansion and institutionalisation. It now benefits about 40 local disadvantaged students annually and spans four university faculties (Humanities, Science, Commerce and Education). One-third of the GMS graduates initially registered at Rhodes through a Bridging Programme, indicating that it is an effective access point for successful tertiary study.
