19-year-old Arundel School student Jade Jewel Wadyajena scored 15 points in the Advance Level (A’ Level) Cambridge examinations.
Jade, who is the daughter of flamboyant ZANU PF politician and businessman Justice Mayor Wadyajena, wrote History, English Language and Literature in English.
She told NewsDay that she aspires to be a family lawyer representing the interests and rights of disadvantaged children. Said Jade:
I have always been single-minded in my aspiration to become a family lawyer, in particular representing the interests and rights of disadvantaged children and young people.
I knew that to qualify for a competitive programme, I would need to have strong A Level results and work on being a well-rounded high achiever, at par with the students at Oxford, Durham, Harvard and other schools of that ilk.
There is a general perception that the children of Zimbabwean politicians are poor academically because they are spoilt and are always busy flaunting their parents’ riches, but that was not the case with the bright Wadyajena. She said:
I recognised that coming from a political family was not going to help me in the exam room.
So, I put my head down and focused on my academic and personal development. I was just uncompromising in my determination and I am elated about what I have achieved.
I am indebted to my incredible parents and to the wonderful staff at Arundel School who were exacting, supportive and nurturing.
During her time at Arundel School last year, Jade won several academic accolades; among them were the Library Shield, the Catherine Stevenson Cup (for perseverance), the History Prize, the English Language Prize and the English Literature Prize.
Jade revealed that her dream is to study Law at Oxford or Durham University. She said:
This is just the beginning for me, I am hoping to go on to read law at either Oxford or Durham which have superlative undergraduate law programmes.
I am excited about my future and reaching my very highest academic potential — even possibly following in the footsteps of my father who is currently pursuing a PhD. I am certain I will surpass him.
My advice to students studying for major exams is to go beyond what you are taught in the classroom. Be curious and read widely.
But above all else, it is discipline and consistency that ultimately get you over the line.
Jade had a word of advice for fellow young people, some of whom have fallen into drug and substance abuse. She said:
My advice to students studying for major exams is to go beyond what you are taught in the classroom.
Be curious and read widely. But above all else, it is discipline and consistency that ultimately get you over the line.
More generally, young people who want to make something of themselves need to stay away from drugs, alcohol and other illicit substances — including the premium stuff which often goes unnoticed.
Here, I implore the authorities to intervene as these two vices are decimating so many young lives.
Some Zimbabwean learners prefer to sit for Cambridge examinations rather than those administered by the Zimbabwe School Examinations Council (ZIMSEC) because the former qualifications are accepted and valued by many leading universities and employers around the world.
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