{"id":99483,"date":"2024-10-12T09:39:09","date_gmt":"2024-10-12T07:39:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.africa-press.net\/zimbabwe\/all-news\/zims-unlikely-student-high-school-at-67"},"modified":"2024-10-12T11:44:03","modified_gmt":"2024-10-12T09:44:03","slug":"zims-unlikely-student-high-school-at-67","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.africa-press.cc\/zimbabwe\/all-news\/zims-unlikely-student-high-school-at-67","title":{"rendered":"Zim\u2019s unlikely student: High school at 67"},"content":{"rendered":"

Africa-Press – Zimbabwe. <\/strong><\/span>DEFYING conventional norms, Helex Njara, at 67, has taken the courageous step of pursuing Advanced Level studies, a feat typically associated with younger students.<\/p>\n

A retired baker, Njara\u2019s thirst for knowledge and personal growth has driven him to return to the classroom and this time, rubbing shoulders with pupils as old as his grandchildren.<\/p>\n

With a wealth of life experience and a passion for learning, he brings a unique perspective to his studies.<\/p>\n

He is a prominent figure at Gumbonzvanda High School in Hwedza South, Mashonaland East province, where he is doing his A Level studies.<\/p>\n

\u201cI am determined to go, I want to pass. I am ready for the challenge,\u201d he says unperturbed.<\/p>\n

As he navigates the challenges of A Level coursework, the ageing student inspires those around him with his resilience, dedication and unwavering enthusiasm.<\/p>\n

His remarkable journey serves as a testament to the power of perseverance and the idea that age is merely a number when it comes to pursuing one\u2019s dreams.<\/p>\n

Of course, in the corridors, Njara hears whispers from young learners asking each other on his reason to be part of them.<\/p>\n

\u201cI know what I am doing, I will continue with my studies,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

\u201cI recently passed the Biology subject after sitting for my O Level examination. I now have nine O Level subjects, I am proud of myself.\u201d<\/p>\n

His educational story is one laden with sadness, pain and perseverance.<\/p>\n

He recalls how difficult it was for him to go to school, while living in Malawi in the late 1970s.<\/p>\n

\u201cI grew up in Malawi, where my foster parents told me that they cannot take me to school. It was a thorn in the flesh, that was in 1975,\u201d Njara recalls.<\/p>\n

\u201cI remember I was doing Grade Six in Malawi when I stopped school. I started doing menial jobs in other people\u2019s homes and managed to save money to go back to school. It worked.<\/p>\n

\u201cDuring the holidays, I would travel to Lake Kazuni (Malawi) to buy fish for resale. It also worked and I managed to complete Grade 7.\u201d<\/p>\n

He later relocated back to Zimbabwe, where he enrolled for secondary education at age 27.<\/p>\n

\u201cI returned back to Rhodesia (now Zimbabwe) and went straight to Wedza, where my father was staying. I wanted to enrol for Form 1, but I was blocked due to my age. I had to go for Form 2 in 1983 at the age of 27,\u201d he narrates.<\/p>\n

\u201cIn 1986, I sat for my O Level examination and only passed Agriculture. The reason for my failure was that I was doubling school and pastoral work. My father then took me to Wedza High School at Wedza Centre and I passed five subjects.<\/p>\n

\u201cI only failed Mathematics and English.\u201d<\/p>\n

Njara then travelled to Murambinda, where he worked at a bakery.<\/p>\n

During his time in Murambinda, he acquired certificates in bakery and confectionary.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe economic meltdown came and many companies closed shop, including the bakeries. I returned home and opened my own bakery shop at Gumbonzvanda Shopping Centre, but my love for school never ended there,\u201d he says.<\/p>\n

Njara then attended Biology lessons and sat for the final examination, which he passed.<\/p>\n

\u201cMy wife would laugh at me, but this did not deter me from attending lessons. The good thing is that Biology has worked so efficiently in our farming life.<\/p>\n

\u201cFor example, our chicken project has boomed due to cross breeding, part of the knowledge I acquired by attending biology lessons,\u201d he continues.<\/p>\n

Due to his quest for education, Njara only got married at age 34.<\/p>\n

\u201cI got married at 34, I had to delay because I had to pursue education. I have three children and three grandchildren,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

Currently, the seemingly Zimbabwe\u2019s old high school student is studying Biology and Crop Science at A Level. \u201cI am studying Biology and Crop Science and will sit for the examination next year,\u201d he says.<\/p>\n

\u201cI am doing this at home. I could have enrolled at Gumbonzvanda, but there are some people who called me promising scholarships for me to study Health Sciences at tertiary level.\u201d<\/p>\n

Njara claims that after learning of his fate, a professor at a Zambian university promised to offer him a scholarship while others have pledged to enrol him at a nursing school.<\/p>\n

\u201cIf that doesn\u2019t sail, I will then join younger students like before. Next year, I will pass the subjects. My dream is to become a nurse or anything to do with health.\u201d<\/p>\n

The unlikely student has found his place among the young minds, and they, in turn, have gained a unique perspective and a reminder that learning knows no age.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt was a refreshing experience learning from the young ones. We exchanged ideas, we both benefited,\u201d he says.<\/p>\n

\u201cAfter all, the results are here for all to see. It was good studying with the young learners at Gumbonzvanda High School and I passed the Biology examination.\u201d<\/p>\n

With most of his age focusing on other things like accumulating wealth for their children as they grow old, for Njara, it is a different story.<\/p>\n

He is not selfish.<\/p>\n

In his world, he believes that acquiring knowledge is the way to go.<\/p>\n

Today, he goes into the history books of Zimbabwe as the country\u2019s oldest high school student as he prepares for his A Level examinations next year.<\/p>\n

For More News And Analysis About Zimbabwe Follow Africa-Press<\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Africa-Press – Zimbabwe. DEFYING conventional norms, Helex Njara, at 67, has taken the courageous step of pursuing Advanced Level studies, a feat typically associated with younger students. A retired baker, Njara\u2019s thirst for knowledge and personal growth has driven him to return to the classroom and this time, rubbing shoulders with pupils as old as […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":84,"featured_media":99481,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[3,4],"tags":[19],"class_list":{"0":"post-99483","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-all-news","8":"category-community","9":"tag-zimbabwe"},"yoast_head":"\nZim\u2019s unlikely student: High school at 67 - zimbabwe<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"DEFYING conventional norms, Helex Njara, at 67, has taken the courageous step of pursuing Advanced Level studies, a feat ...\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.africa-press.net\/zimbabwe\/all-news\/zims-unlikely-student-high-school-at-67\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Zim\u2019s unlikely student: High school at 67\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"DEFYING conventional norms, Helex Njara, at 67, has taken the courageous step of pursuing Advanced Level studies, a feat ...\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/www.africa-press.net\/zimbabwe\/all-news\/zims-unlikely-student-high-school-at-67\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"zimbabwe\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2024-10-12T07:39:09+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2024-10-12T09:44:03+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/static.africa-press.net\/zimbabwe\/sites\/14\/2024\/10\/sm_1728713621.626697.jpg\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"1280\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"720\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/jpeg\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"cfeditoren\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"cfeditoren\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"4 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\/\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.africa-press.net\/zimbabwe\/all-news\/zims-unlikely-student-high-school-at-67\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.africa-press.net\/zimbabwe\/all-news\/zims-unlikely-student-high-school-at-67\",\"name\":\"Zim\u2019s unlikely student: High school at 67 - 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