How a gardener opened all his own doors to Oxford

When Sizwe Mkwanazi worked as a part-time gardener for a Mpumalanga family nine years ago‚ he never dreamed he would one day be studying at one of the world’s most prestigious universities.

Mkwanazi‚ 24‚ has been admitted to study for a doctorate in education at Oxford in the UK.

What makes his achievement even more extraordinary is that he is probably the first student in South Africa from a Technical and Vocational Education and Training College (TVET) to be accepted at Oxford. He worked part-time as a gardener while completing his TVET studies.

“Being accepted at Oxford is a huge achievement for me‚ especially as I come from a family where I still find it difficult to say that I’m the only person with a degree‚” said Mkwanazi.

• For more on this story‚ please visit Times Select.