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’s 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.
With a wealth of life experience and a passion for learning, he brings a unique perspective to his studies.
He is a prominent figure at Gumbonzvanda High School in Hwedza South, Mashonaland East province, where he is doing his A Level studies.
“I am determined to go, I want to pass. I am ready for the challenge,” he says unperturbed.
As he navigates the challenges of A Level coursework, the ageing student inspires those around him with his resilience, dedication and unwavering enthusiasm.
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’s dreams.
- Zim’s unlikely student: High school at 67
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Of course, in the corridors, Njara hears whispers from young learners asking each other on his reason to be part of them.
“I know what I am doing, I will continue with my studies,” he said.
“I recently passed the Biology subject after sitting for my O Level examination. I now have nine O Level subjects, I am proud of myself.”
His educational story is one laden with sadness, pain and perseverance.
He recalls how difficult it was for him to go to school, while living in Malawi in the late 1970s.
“I 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,” Njara recalls.
“I remember I was doing Grade Six in Malawi when I stopped school. I started doing menial jobs in other people’s homes and managed to save money to go back to school. It worked.
“During the holidays, I would travel to Lake Kazuni (Malawi) to buy fish for resale. It also worked and I managed to complete Grade 7.”
He later relocated back to Zimbabwe, where he enrolled for secondary education at age 27.
“I 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,” he narrates.
“In 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.
“I only failed Mathematics and English.”
Njara then travelled to Murambinda, where he worked at a bakery.
During his time in Murambinda, he acquired certificates in bakery and confectionary.
“The 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,” he says.
Njara then attended Biology lessons and sat for the final examination, which he passed.
“My 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.
“For example, our chicken project has boomed due to cross breeding, part of the knowledge I acquired by attending biology lessons,” he continues.
Due to his quest for education, Njara only got married at age 34.
“I got married at 34, I had to delay because I had to pursue education. I have three children and three grandchildren,” he said.
Currently, the seemingly Zimbabwe’s old high school student is studying Biology and Crop Science at A Level. “I am studying Biology and Crop Science and will sit for the examination next year,” he says.
“I 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.”
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.
“If that doesn’t 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.”
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.
“It was a refreshing experience learning from the young ones. We exchanged ideas, we both benefited,” he says.
“After 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.”
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.
He is not selfish.
In his world, he believes that acquiring knowledge is the way to go.
Today, he goes into the history books of Zimbabwe as the country’s oldest high school student as he prepares for his A Level examinations next year.
