{"id":36000,"date":"2026-05-05T08:16:56","date_gmt":"2026-05-05T08:16:56","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/vut.ac.za\/?p=36000"},"modified":"2026-05-05T08:21:51","modified_gmt":"2026-05-05T08:21:51","slug":"a-journey-shaped-by-pain-purpose-and-persistence","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/vut.ac.za\/st\/a-journey-shaped-by-pain-purpose-and-persistence\/","title":{"rendered":"A journey shaped by pain, purpose, and persistence"},"content":{"rendered":"

“Ms Nokuthula Boakye\u2019s journey of pain, purpose and persistence led to a Master\u2019s in Higher Education at VUT, proving resilience conquers all.”<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

09 May 2026 | Story by: Ntebogeleng Digasu | Picture: Vuyo Mence<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

4 minutes read time.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Ms<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

There are graduates who cross the stage, and then there are those who arrive carrying the weight of everything it took to get there. On 24 April 2026, during the Autumn Graduation Ceremonies at the Vaal University of Technology (VUT), Ms Nokuthula Boakye walked across the stage to receive her Master of Education in Higher Education as part of the University\u2019s 60th generation of graduates. It was a moment defined not only by academic achievement, but by quiet defiance, a lived expression of resilience in the face of circumstances that could easily have altered the outcome.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Born in KwaZulu Natal and now based in Roodepoort, Ms Boakye serves at the Western TVET College (Westcol), Krugersdorp Campus. Her journey into higher education was never incidental but shaped by a long-held vision to contribute meaningfully to the sector. That vision carried her into her studies with clarity and purpose, anchored in the belief that education is both a personal calling and a public responsibility.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIt has been my childhood dream that has come true. I chose this field driven by passion,\u201d said Ms Boakye, reflecting on a journey that began with certainty but would later demand far more of her than she had anticipated. What started as a pursuit grounded in aspiration soon evolved into a test of endurance, as the path she had chosen took an unexpected and deeply personal turn.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

During her studies, Ms Boakye was diagnosed with lupus, a chronic autoimmune condition that began to reshape her daily reality. The structured rhythm of academic life gave way to uncertainty, marked by hospital admissions, physical fatigue, and moments where progress required more than intellectual effort. It demanded strength, patience, and an ability to continue even when the body resisted.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cMy journey has been a roller coaster,\u201d she explained. \u201cI found out that I have lupus. Sometimes I had to write my chapters in a hospital bed. I attended some classes while admitted. It was not easy, but I knew what I wanted, so I pushed through.\u201d In that experience lies a powerful image of determination, a student holding on to purpose even<\/p>\n\n\n\n

within spaces defined by vulnerability, refusing to allow circumstance to dictate the outcome.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Balancing the demands of her health with academic expectations required discipline at a level few fully understand. Each milestone was achieved under conditions that tested both physical endurance and mental resolve. Yet, through it all, Ms Boakye remained committed to completing what she had started, drawing strength from her upbringing, her sense of purpose, and the understanding that her journey carried meaning beyond herself.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Now, as part of VUT\u2019s 60th generation of graduates, her achievement speaks to more than personal success. It reflects the kind of graduate the University continues to shape, one who is not only academically capable, but resilient, grounded, and prepared to contribute meaningfully to society. Her master\u2019s research, which focuses on identifying critical gaps within the Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) sector and proposing practical solutions, is already positioned to influence the field she is so deeply committed to.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThis qualification is helping me to identify gaps in the TVET sector and to provide recommendations on how they can be addressed,\u201d she said, reinforcing the idea that her academic journey is not an endpoint, but a continuation of purpose driven work.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As the story of VUT\u2019s 60th generation continues to unfold, it is shaped by individuals like Ms Boakye, whose journeys move beyond statistics and bring meaning to the moment. Her message to others is not abstract but grounded in lived experience and hard-earned insight.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cDo not let your dream die while you are alive,\u201d she said. \u201cThis journey is not for the masses. It is yours. Travel it with understanding and the determination to reach your destiny.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In the end, her story is not defined by the absence of struggle, but by the decision to continue despite it. It is a reminder that success is not always measured by how smoothly the journey unfolds, but by the courage to keep moving forward when every step demands more than you thought you could give.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

“Ms Nokuthula Boakye\u2019s journey of pain, purpose and persistence led to a Master\u2019s in Higher Education at VUT, proving resilience […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4,"featured_media":36159,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"site-sidebar-layout":"default","site-content-layout":"","ast-site-content-layout":"default","site-content-style":"default","site-sidebar-style":"default","ast-global-header-display":"","ast-banner-title-visibility":"","ast-main-header-display":"","ast-hfb-above-header-display":"","ast-hfb-below-header-display":"","ast-hfb-mobile-header-display":"","site-post-title":"","ast-breadcrumbs-content":"","ast-featured-img":"","footer-sml-layout":"","ast-disable-related-posts":"","theme-transparent-header-meta":"","adv-header-id-meta":"","stick-header-meta":"","header-above-stick-meta":"","header-main-stick-meta":"","header-below-stick-meta":"","astra-migrate-meta-layouts":"default","ast-page-background-enabled":"default","ast-page-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-4)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"ast-content-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"footnotes":""},"categories":[47,1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-36000","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-latest-news-vaal-university-of-technology","category-uncategorized"],"aioseo_notices":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/vut.ac.za\/st\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/36000","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/vut.ac.za\/st\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/vut.ac.za\/st\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/vut.ac.za\/st\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/4"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/vut.ac.za\/st\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=36000"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/vut.ac.za\/st\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/36000\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":36162,"href":"https:\/\/vut.ac.za\/st\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/36000\/revisions\/36162"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/vut.ac.za\/st\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/36159"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/vut.ac.za\/st\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=36000"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/vut.ac.za\/st\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=36000"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/vut.ac.za\/st\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=36000"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}