Second year BCom Accounting student Mr Siyabonga Masoka’s book titled: Life After Matric encourages young people to fully explore their opportunities by pursuing tertiary education.
‘Many young people from my village still believe that matric is a big achievement when it comes to education. They then migrate to urban areas with hopes of fending for their families and themselves and earn only little that is worth keeping the body and soul together,’ said Masoka.
Drawing from his own personal experiences, Masoka, a high achiever who passed his matric with six distinctions details the socio-economic challenges he had to overcome growing up in the rural village of Mshunka, near Umsinga to adjusting to life as a UKZN student in Pietermaritzburg.
Apart from the book which was launched last year, Masoka has also founded an organisation called the Siyabonga Masoka Initiative. The company visits various schools educating the youth about the importance of education. Its website www.siyabongamasokainitiative.com offers useful information such as past exam papers and information on universities.
The results we have achieved through this initiative have been very encouraging as it has benefitted more than 50 students who have gone on to study at various universities through bursaries or NSFAS. We also run the annual life after matric motivational seminar which takes place in January where we invite professionals from various sectors, and other relevant bodies to address the youth, said Masoka.
Looking to the future, Masoka aims to motivate more high school pupils to study and pursue a career in accounting. He hopes to find a sponsor for the self-published Life After Matric book and also plans on writing more books and establishing an education centre to benefit his community.
Words: Thandiwe Jumo
