Guard fulfils dream to be a teacher

By GLORIA BAUAI
SAMSON Magiri Namba defied the odds to fulfil his dream of being an educator, when he graduated from Balob Teachers college last Wednesday.
“Being a security guard is not the lowest job if it means I get my diploma to be a teacher,” Samson said, during an interview with The National.
“It’s my stepping stone to where I am today and I will forever be grateful to this profession.”
Wearing his Black Swan International uniform, Samson proudly walked up the podium in front of fellow graduates and family and friends to receive his diploma in primary teaching.
Samson, from Hagen Central district, Western Highlands, was born to subsistent farmer parents, and the fourth of seven siblings.
He said growing up in a large family had its challenges as his parents worked to provide for their basic needs including clothing and school fees.
Magiri managed to complete secondary school at Anglimp Secondary School in 2015 but did not receive an offer from a tertiary institution in 2016 and decided to find employment instead.
He was determined not be like many other youths not in school or unemployed using drugs or alcohol and causing problems.
“I didn’t want to be like other youths who were unemployed because I knew I would face the negative consequences of that choice,” he said.
Samson decided to persevere and progress in his life.
In 2016 he joined security firm Black Swan International as a full time static guard and in 2018 he was accepted as a non-school leaver into Balob Teachers College where he undertook studies while employed.
“It was work and school in the last three years,” he said.
Samson worked the night shift and during the day, he would attend his courses, sneaking a few hours of sleep in-between either at his friends’ rooms at the male dormitory or in the work vehicle.
He said it was a strict three years- every fortnight, after his school fee loan was deducted, the remaining would be budgeted for food and transportation.