Granny, 56, secures second qualification.

You’re never too old to learn, as Thandekile Joyce Luruli proved when she attained her second qualification at the age of 56.

Luruli achieved her national diploma in early childhood development (ECD) level 5 from the

Teachers Learning Centre after four years of studying, while also running the Sinothando Daycare Centre in Alex.

With her new qualification, she hopes to do more that her first qualification, a level 4 ECD, allowed her to.

Luruli said she did not make it this far on her own. Her children, husband, friends and home teacher, Ofillia Ncube, all laid the foundations.

“I knew nothing when I started with my journey to get this diploma but I had support from friends and family, and also one of the greatest teachers who has been pushing me to study from day one,” Luruli added.

“Discipline and respect are the masters of success, you can be educated, be a hard worker and talented but, if you don’t have the discipline and respect, you will never make it far.”

Lerule hosted a graduation party to celebrate her success on 13 June in Far Eastbank.

Ncube said: “Luruli was dedicated to learning.

“I would sometimes ask myself where does and an old woman like her get all the strength to juggle all activities at once.”

For Luruli, this is just the beginning as she aims to add a third qualification to her achievements. –

Many of the “Covidiots” and conspiracy theorists who dwell in the cesspool of social media are fond of saying “do your research”, meaning: go and find the rubbish I believe and you’ll agree with me. That gives a bad name to any genuine quest to broaden one’s mind. So, it is heart-warming to see someone like Thandekile Joyce Luruli, who runs a daycare centre in Alexandra, do that the old-fashioned way, by studying for a recognised academic qualification.

Even at the “mature” age of fiftysomething, Luruli was not put off by the challenge of balancing her time with the books and the time spent with the young children in the Sinothando Daycare Centre.

And her reward was a national diploma in early childhood development (ECD) level 5, from the Teachers Learning Centre.

She also persevered for the four years of study which it took to gain the qualification.

That new knowledge will enable her to care for and start to educate the little ones in her care.

People like Luruli are what this country sorely needs – people who don’t see themselves constrained by age or circumstance … and who want to better themselves, so they are better able to help others.