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Philips receives Cum Laude and the Dean’s Merit Award for the Advanced Diploma in Adult and Community Education and Training Teaching
CUM LAUDE DEAN’S MERIT
CUM LAUDE Xoliswa Mavis Phillips was awarded Cum Laude and the Dean’s Merit Award for the Advanced Diploma in Adult and Community Education and Training Teaching at the DUT Autumn Graduation cereDEAN’S MERIT mony which was held at the Royal Showgrounds in Pietermaritzburg on 25 July 2022. “I feel super excited, especially being in the first CUM LAUDE group to acquire this qualification, it makes me super excited,” said the ecstatic Phillips. The DUT Adult and Community Education and Training Teaching Unit helps to enhance the DEAN’S MERIT provision of adult education for ordinary people living in Pietermaritzburg and in KwaZulu-Natal. She expressed that it was such a proud moment for her as she was in the first group to graduate CUM LAUDE for the Advanced Diploma in Adult and Community Education and Training Teaching. It was quite a challenging journey for her with DEAN’S MERIT the COVID-19 rules and regulations as they were not able to attend physical lectures and had to adapt to the new online learning system, however that did not hinder her path to success. Being a funded student was what propelled her CUM LAUDE to persist and focus on the end goal which was completing her studies magnificently. Phillips was tremendously grateful that DUT provided her with data to be able to attend online lecturers and submit assignments on time. DEAN’S MERIT She extended her profound gratitude to God, CUM LAUDE
family, husband and children for always being by her side. She also extended her gratitude to Dr Sandra Land, and the DHET for making it possible for her to be funded. She was emotional that seven of her classmates could not attend the graduation as some passed away in a tragic accident and others due to COVID-19. “One thing I know wherever they are, they are proud as they were also supposed to graduate,”
Education and Training
Teaching
NONKULULEKO NGCOBO expressed Phillips. Currently, she is employed at Correctional Services under the Skills Development programme. “With this qualification I hope to make an impact and also to extend these programmes to offenders, showing a sense of leadership that they can do it, and we cannot be seen as educators and being under-developed,” said Phillips. 36 | SOFTCOPY
graduation special
Xoliswa Mavis Phillips. Photo by Vusi Dlamini.
