Doctor Naledi Pandor, I presume
Minister gets her PhD in education
Minister of higher education and training Naledi Pandor was conferred with a PhD in education at the University of Pretoria yesterday.
At 65, higher education minister Naledi Pandor says she would love to spend more time with her family. But the minister, whose job is so demanding, still found time to study for her PhD in education. Yesterday, she was one of the most accomplished graduates at the University of Pretoria’s graduation ceremony. Pandor said she had to queue with other students outside her professor’s office to submit her research.
“I sacrificed a lot of things that I enjoy, including the time I spent with my family. I tried to balance but some areas were neglected,” she said. “I knew that with my busy schedule, this was the institution I wanted to register at.” She already holds two master’s degrees – one in education policy and practice in multiracial societies, and another in linguistics.
She said she chose education because she has always been fascinated by it.
“I am a teacher by training and I am fascinated by education. I learnt that there is a vast amount of absolutely fascinating education information that we need to tap into much more than we do today.” The minister said she was encouraged by her friends to enroll at the university. “The decision to study again was nerve-wracking, but I knew I had to try. I was nervous and slightly embarrassed to be an older student, but once I started, I did not want to stop,” she said. Professor Chika Sehoole, the dean of faculty of education, said it was an honour for him to supervise the minister. “After I agreed to supervise her, she set the rules for the relationship and said now you are my professor and I am your student, you call me Naledi and I will call you professor. “She did not demand special treatment as she would also queue outside my office.” The minister also released two reports on post-school education and training system yesterday.
Pandor said two developments in one report that stood out were gender and race. “There are more women at universities than men across all groups.
“Women are in a majority in all fields of study, except for science, engineering and technology,” Pandor said.
I am your student, you call me Naledi