Failed grade 12, sat for GCE and materialized my dream of being UNZA graduate - Ngoma
By Daily Star Reporter
7/21/2022 2:45:55 PM
From failing grade 12, passing in only two subjects, Jephter Ngoma’s dream to be a University of Zambia (UNZA) graduate didn’t die.
The 27-year-old, like many other people has had to go through all sorts of challenges to get to where he is today.
With both parents earning a living from farming and charcoal burning, despite the financial constraints, Ngoma was able to get to UNZA until his graduation.
The journey was not smooth. Back in grade 9, he almost missed examinations due to financial challenges. Fortunately, the head teacher at his school paid for the exams on his behalf and encouraged him to study.
Ngoma spent most of his life in the village setup. He only moved to Chipata, Eastern Province and the first town he had ever been to the time he was getting into senior secondary. He was at Chipata Day Secondary School.
In sharing his experience with the Daily Star in an exclusive interview, he said “school fees for senior secondary were slightly higher than what we use to pay in junior secondary and I was also supposed to pay for accomodation and it was for that reason that I started my grade ten in second term. This made me to go into afternoon classes because the school had no places in the morning session at the time when we were seeking for the place,”
“When I was in grade eleven term three I failed to write my end of year tests, I was chased because the school wanted money for that grade and the balance I had from the previous grade. I feelt neglacted together with a few other guys who had balances because I knew that my parents din't have money at that time, but I decided to inform them. The following day Dad cycled to our school and talked with the then headmaster of the school who later permitted me to go in class.”
He further narrated that the same afternoon, another teacher came through class and chased everyone including himself despite showing him the permission slip.
It was at this point that Ngoma decided to stop school and instead started to look for a job.
He fortunately started to work with a security company as a Security Guard.
“The following year I was supposed to be in grade twelve and I asked my supervisor at a security company to allow me to be working in the night so that during the day I should be going for classes, fortunate he allowed,” he said.
“At least this time the situation was slightly deference in that my parents had sent me the money which was to cater for the balance which was left in grade ten as well as for food and accomodations. Not only that, but because I was now working, I decided to also pay for the balance which was left in grade eleven. And this initiative helped me to relax a bit.”
To ensure that he has no problems with paying both the examination and school fees, Ngoma also started baking scorns in addition to the job he had.
He successfully wrote his grade 12 exams. When the results came out, he managed to only pass two subjects.
“I passed two subjects, that was English and Biology and I got credits; 6 and five respectively. And it was soon after that that I met my former junior secondary school friend; Peter Mwanza who had 16 points and was preparing to go for his tertiary education,” he said.
“One day I thought of getting a loan from EFC so that I can invest in farming and raise the school fees because the following year I was thinking of doing a trade course so that Incase I was to lose my job, I mustn't suffer.”
Ngoma then got in touch with someone who was willing to help him get government scholarship on condition that he rewrites four subjects.
“Few months later it was December and at first I wanted to re-write four subjects according to his directives but my friend Peter Mwanza challenged me that as a Man it is very embarrassing to have two exam slips of different Years like change (money)... So I entered six subjects and I passed then, and that's how UNZA journey started even though I didn't study medicine,” he said.
“It was after that when I called Mr Mazunda Geoffrey who assisted me to apply and after being accepted he also helped me to apply for Government sponsorship which was not easy to get as one may think today but by the grace of God I was given the sponsorship a month before my first year final exams at Unza. The sponsorship was 75%.”
Ngoma is currently looking for a job and he believes that God will one day give it to him.
He tells young people and all those that may have given up on their dreams to keep working towards their goals and leave the rest to God.
He studied Zambia Cultures and Ceremonies with English and Literature from UNZA.
The 27-year-old, like many other people has had to go through all sorts of challenges to get to where he is today.
With both parents earning a living from farming and charcoal burning, despite the financial constraints, Ngoma was able to get to UNZA until his graduation.
The journey was not smooth. Back in grade 9, he almost missed examinations due to financial challenges. Fortunately, the head teacher at his school paid for the exams on his behalf and encouraged him to study.
Ngoma spent most of his life in the village setup. He only moved to Chipata, Eastern Province and the first town he had ever been to the time he was getting into senior secondary. He was at Chipata Day Secondary School.
In sharing his experience with the Daily Star in an exclusive interview, he said “school fees for senior secondary were slightly higher than what we use to pay in junior secondary and I was also supposed to pay for accomodation and it was for that reason that I started my grade ten in second term. This made me to go into afternoon classes because the school had no places in the morning session at the time when we were seeking for the place,”
“When I was in grade eleven term three I failed to write my end of year tests, I was chased because the school wanted money for that grade and the balance I had from the previous grade. I feelt neglacted together with a few other guys who had balances because I knew that my parents din't have money at that time, but I decided to inform them. The following day Dad cycled to our school and talked with the then headmaster of the school who later permitted me to go in class.”
He further narrated that the same afternoon, another teacher came through class and chased everyone including himself despite showing him the permission slip.
It was at this point that Ngoma decided to stop school and instead started to look for a job.
He fortunately started to work with a security company as a Security Guard.
“The following year I was supposed to be in grade twelve and I asked my supervisor at a security company to allow me to be working in the night so that during the day I should be going for classes, fortunate he allowed,” he said.
“At least this time the situation was slightly deference in that my parents had sent me the money which was to cater for the balance which was left in grade ten as well as for food and accomodations. Not only that, but because I was now working, I decided to also pay for the balance which was left in grade eleven. And this initiative helped me to relax a bit.”
To ensure that he has no problems with paying both the examination and school fees, Ngoma also started baking scorns in addition to the job he had.
He successfully wrote his grade 12 exams. When the results came out, he managed to only pass two subjects.
“I passed two subjects, that was English and Biology and I got credits; 6 and five respectively. And it was soon after that that I met my former junior secondary school friend; Peter Mwanza who had 16 points and was preparing to go for his tertiary education,” he said.
“One day I thought of getting a loan from EFC so that I can invest in farming and raise the school fees because the following year I was thinking of doing a trade course so that Incase I was to lose my job, I mustn't suffer.”
Ngoma then got in touch with someone who was willing to help him get government scholarship on condition that he rewrites four subjects.
“Few months later it was December and at first I wanted to re-write four subjects according to his directives but my friend Peter Mwanza challenged me that as a Man it is very embarrassing to have two exam slips of different Years like change (money)... So I entered six subjects and I passed then, and that's how UNZA journey started even though I didn't study medicine,” he said.
“It was after that when I called Mr Mazunda Geoffrey who assisted me to apply and after being accepted he also helped me to apply for Government sponsorship which was not easy to get as one may think today but by the grace of God I was given the sponsorship a month before my first year final exams at Unza. The sponsorship was 75%.”
Ngoma is currently looking for a job and he believes that God will one day give it to him.
He tells young people and all those that may have given up on their dreams to keep working towards their goals and leave the rest to God.
He studied Zambia Cultures and Ceremonies with English and Literature from UNZA.