Online Reporter
Raymond Jaravaza, [email protected]
FOR 20 years, the gentle hum of an old sewing machine has been the soundtrack to Siphiwe Ndebele’s life in Tjehanga, Bulilima District in Matabeleland South Province. At 69, she has stitched together more than just curtains, school uniforms, and church garments for her community — she has sewn hope, dignity, and survival for her five grandchildren. Yet, throughout those years, one dream persistently tugged at her heart: the desire to return to school.
“Everything I know about sewing, I taught myself. I’ve made a living from it, but deep down I always wished I could sit in a classroom and learn the professional way of making garments,” she shared, her smile carrying both pride and relief.
That wish came true this year when Ndebele walked into a classroom at Bulawayo Polytechnic, surrounded by students, some young enough to be her grandchildren.
She enrolled in a two-week short course in garment construction after learning from a relative that the programme was now available. Determined, she packed her bags, left her rural home, and stayed with family in Bulawayo to finally live her dream.
On Wednesday, her persistence was rewarded. Dressed in a graduation gown, she walked across the stage at the 96th Bulawayo Polytechnic graduation ceremony — not just as one of 3 690 graduates, but as the oldest among them. She was honoured with a prize for her courage and determination.
“The younger students in my class were inspired by me. They would come and ask how I managed to survive through sewing for so many years. Age is nothing but a number. If you have the desire to learn, don’t let age stop you,” she said proudly.
Ndebele says she never returned to school hoping for formal employment.
“I did not go back to class so that one day I can be employed. I’m too old to be considered for employment, but these new skills will help me produce better garments for my clients. That’s all I wanted — to improve myself,” she said.
Her story stood out in a sea of statistics — 2 756 HEXCO graduates, 498 under the Integrated Skills Expansion Outreach Programme, and 436 completing short courses. She was a reminder that education is not just for the young, but for anyone with the courage to try.
Guest of honour, Higher and Tertiary Education, Innovation, Science and Technology Development Deputy Minister Simelisizwe Sibanda, urged graduates to embrace innovation and self-reliance.
“Innovation must lead to industrialisation, production, and national self-reliance, and that is why Government calls upon graduates not to queue for jobs but to create them. The era of entitlement is over. The era of innovation has begun,” he said.
Deputy Minister Sibanda said the Government has prioritised the reconfiguration of the country’s education system from being overly theoretical to one that is practically relevant, innovation-driven, and economically empowering.
“The country has moved beyond education for certification to education for production, because that is where the future of Zimbabwe lies. The days of relying on foreign-imported ideas, technologies, and manpower are long gone, as the country will be built by its own people,” he said.
