Against all odds

…Security guard graduates from Nust

The first day Abel Siseho Mubita walked into his basic mathematics class in 2020, he was unaware that he was still wearing his security guard uniform.

The sight of him in full security attire prompted the lecturer to stop the lesson and ask if there was a security issue they should be concerned about.

Mubita explained that he was not in the class for security reasons but was taking the course as part of his bachelor of criminal justice in policing degree, he says.

This revelation garnered him applause from his classmates and he was appointed the class representative by the lecturer, despite being unfamiliar with academia.

The 31-year-old recounts this story at his home in Goreangab Dam’s Okapale area.

He tells The Namibian his journey to complete his studies has been marred with many challenges, but despite them all, he is proud of what he has accomplished.

Hailing from Kalimbeza village, a stone’s throw from the Zambezi River, Mubita came to Windhoek in 2015 in the hope of securing employment after he was unable to gain admittance to a tertiary institution.

“My intention was to get a job in a shop or as a security guard,” he says.

Luckily for Mubita, he was able to get a job as a security guard at a protection services company, and was stationed at the Namibia University of Science and Technology (Nust).

However, Mubita says he soon realised that some of his old schoolmates were attending Nust, getting their degrees and bettering their lives, while he was there to work as a guard.

“I felt bad.

How am I employed as a guard, when I can see my old schoolmates going to classes?”

Mubita says the long hours, low salary and a talk with Gilbert Hoabed, a faculty officer at the School of Engineering in 2019, inspired him to apply for the course, as it aligned with his job.

“Mr Gilbert saw potential in me. He told me to bring my documents and helped me apply for the degree in criminal justice in policing,” he says.

Mubita recounts his excitement at getting the news that he was accepted, however, he could not foresee the challenges his job and Covid-19 would have on his studies.

“When they stopped the face-to-face classes and we attended online classes, it was very challenging because we don’t have access to network signals or the internet here at Okapale,” he says.

The graduate, who is a father of two, says he also faced challenges working long hours, attending part-time classes, and not having financial assistance from the Namibia Students Financial Assistance Fund (NSFAF) during his first year, due to not meeting the requirements.

“My part-time classes would end at 21h00. I would get home at 23h30 to do my assignments, and sleep for two hours before waking up to go to work again.”

He also says pursuing his studies was a lonely journey because he could not befriend his classmates, as that could potentially affect his judgement in his duties as a security guard on campus.

“My supervisors told me not to mingle with my classmates as I should be fair in my duties.

[Not doing so] would risk my job as the breadwinner of my family,” he says.

He recalls how his supervisor told him he would have to choose between his studies and his job if the course got in the way of his work.

However, he assured his superiors that his academic pursuits would not be a distraction from his work.

“I told them that school would be done in my personal time,” he says.

He remained focused on his studies by opting not to indulge in alcohol or socialise with friends.

Being a security guard on campus actually ended up being an advantage for him because he knew where all his lecturers’ offices were located if he had any queries, and he had easy access to learning resources on campus for research purposes.

Mubita, who is trained to identify a criminal, use a weapon, and de-escalate a conflict, says he hopes his degree can allow him contribute to the safety and peace of the community.

“Peace is a luxury that everyone should have. No one should live in fear,” he says.

Mubita further hopes completing his bachelor’s will open more opportunities for him to improve his life and that of his family.

Mubita’s partner, Isabel Katoma, says she is happy to see years of Mubita’s hard work pay off.

“I’m really happy and proud because he is a hard-working man. A man who does not give up,” she adds.

Katoma, who is also a security guard, says she helped Mubita by providing a support system and by making sure he was fed.

“I would cook and take food for him when he was studying, since we were working together,” she says.

Selma Iipindi (41) who is also a security guard at Nust and has been in the industry since 2003, says Mubita’s determination to acquire his bachelor’s should inspire the youth to pursue a tertiary education.

“I want to study, but I’m too old now.

It is really inspiring to see one of our own. Young people must look at his example study,” she says.

Mubita says he plans on completing his honours degree at Nust next year.