Despite being born with a hearing impediment, Anderton Naidoo, an MBA student at MANCOSA private higher education institution, was determined to achieve academic success.Naidoo, 44, from Durban defied his disability and completed the Master of Business Administration degree with distinction.
As a result of an ear infection followed by surgery at the age of four, Naidoo has been left completely deaf in his right ear and has only 25% natural hearing in his left ear.He endured bullying at school because of his hearing disability and learnt how to lip-read.
After matriculating from Solvista Secondary School in Phoenix, he completed courses in marketing, public relations and customer relationship management.However, he could not find permanent employment and worked as a part-time teller at a post office and also worked as a cleaner – even cleaning toilets – for three years.
After landing a full-time job as a training officer at an FMCG company, he decided to further his education and sought financial assistance from many businesses, without success. Eventually, his employer sponsored his MBA studies through SETA.
He said MANCOSA was “most considerate” and praised his MBA supervisor who, he said, was indeed a brilliant leader.“The lecturers were understanding of my hearing disability and the research staff and support team were extremely helpful and gave me great guidance,” he said.
Naidoo who is a life coach and motivational speaker also assists people with disabilities to find employment and learnerships.He has also completed three Comrades Marathons.His advice to people with disabilities is to be positive and have the right attitude to make a difference in society.
“Love yourself, believe in yourself, and people will believe in you. Impress yourself first, then people will be impressed by you,” he said.Professor Magnate Ntombela, principal of MANCOSA, said the institution acknowledges that inequalities of access to education throughout the education system for persons with disabilities mean that students with disabilities have in the past been – and continue to be – especially vulnerable to exclusion from higher education.
“Consequently, MANCOSA commits itself to ongoing development of admission, recruitment and retention practices and policies for persons with disabilities which will enhance participation in higher education at MANCOSA.
“MANCOSA will provide for the learning needs of students with disabilities, and recognises that this may in some cases entail modifying, substituting or supplementing curricula and course work requirements, including possible alternative, but equivalent, assessment modes; ensuring at all times that academic standards are not compromised and that students will graduate with the requisite skills and competencies.
“We are extremely proud to have played a part in making a meaningful contribution and difference in the life of a student with a hearing disability.“When someone, like Naidoo, has an ambition and gets the appropriate or required support at the right time, he or she will achieve his ambitions. There is no obstacle that can possibly impede such a person,” he said.
