Bumpy road to Polytechnic

They say hard work pays. In Madalitso Eliya, a student at the Polytechnic, one of the University of Malawi’s (Unima) constituent colleges, these words find their meaning. Eliya is different from many Unima students in that while others might have had a smooth journey to get to the university, his path was bumpy and winding.

Born in 1978, Eliya who comes from Tcheza Village, Senior Chief Makwangwala in Ntcheu, went to Dzonzi Primary School in the district, where he obtained his Primary School Leaving Certificate of Education (PSLCE).

In 1994, he got selected to Ntcheu Secondary School. His excitement was not only hovering around the experience of wearing a pair of trousers at school for the first time, but to him, this was the beginning of the realisation of his dream of going to university.

Eliya worked hard that at the end of each school term, he got good remarks from his class teacher. “This is university material, keep it up Madalitso,” some of the remarks read.

Time flew and in 1999, Eliya sat for Malawi School Certificate of Education (MSCE) examinations. He scored 29 points which, unfortunately, did not secure him a place at Unima.

He thus started working for Peoples Trading Centre (PTC) as a shelf filler at Ntcheu Boma.

However, this job did not satisfy him, so in 2000, he joined the teaching profession as a temporary primary school teacher at Katsekera Primary School in the district. Interestingly, despite being a temporary teacher, he was later appointed deputy head teacher due to his hard-working spirit.

In the same year, he married Tiyanjane Wyson and they now have three children.

“When I was teaching at Katsekera, I admired my colleagues who were leaving for Domasi College of Education to study for a diploma in education. But I could not be picked for further studies,” says Eliya.

This made Eliya sit for MSCE examinations again in 2001. He did not attend classes, but would study in his own time.

Unfortunately, this second attempt to improve his MSCE proved futile as he got 29 points again.

Eliya enrolled at Blantyre Teachers College where he studied from 2004 to 2005, becoming a qualified teacher.

However, his burning desire to proceed with his education did not cease. In 2007, he sat for MSCE for the third time. He got 29 points yet again.

“But this did not discourage me. I continued working hard believing that hard work pays,” says Eliya.

He says some of the pupils he taught at primary school proceeded with their education up to university level, and this motivated him to never give up.

“One of my students graduated from Unima while I was still teaching at primary school. This increased my desire to go further with my education. I knew that if some of my pupils managed to go to Unima, then I, too, could do it,” says Eliya, who believes that age does not matter in education.

That is why in 2009, Eliya re-energised himself to re-sit MSCE exams, again without attending classes. This time, he scooped 14 points at Nachitheme Secondary School in Ntcheu.

That year, when he sat the University Entrance Examinations, he was selected to study Bachelor of Arts in Journalism (BAJ) at the Polytechnic.

“It was a dream come true for me to arrive at the Polytechnic campus for the first time. Now, I am finishing my final year, but this is not the end. I want to study for a Master’s degree in Rural Development after I graduate,” he says.

Since Eliya was selected to The Polytechnic, life became tough for him because he had no source of income. He moved his family from Ntcheu to Blantyre’s Zingwangwa Township to minimise costs of travelling and maintaining two households.

“The only money which I rely on is the K40 000 monthly upkeep allowance that the university provides to students that are on government scholarship,” he says.

Eliya says his wife, who is a school dropout, sells utaka.

“Through this business, we are able to survive. But despite these struggles, I see light at the end of the tunnel,” says the optimistic Eliya.

The young man, who recently did his internship as a reporter at Malawi Broadcasting Corporation (MBC), says he always smiles at his past because through the challenges, he has learnt that life is a game which needs one to play his cards well to live a better life.

“Today, I still keep my primary and secondary school reports by my head teachers. I smile to note that most of my head teachers’ comments predicted that I would get to Unima,” says Eliya.

He advises people who are disappointed with failure to forge ahead because everyone is responsible for their own destiny.

“When you fall, stand up immediately and continue with the journey. My fellow primary school teachers should aim high by upgrading their academic qualifications,” advises Eliya.