Pretoria - Newly appointed acting director for the School of Accountancy at Unisa, Professor Cameron Modisane is bent on increasing the number of successful and work-ready graduates making their way through the institutions' doors.
Modisane, 36, who officially stepped into the new role at the university as of November 1, after having joined the university late last year, also serves as a board of director for the Information Systems Audit and Control Association (ISACA SA) and the chairperson of the Finance, Risk and Audit Committee of Oxfam South Africa’s board.
He said in the new role as the acting head he wanted to increase the number of students passing through Unisa's doors as chartered accountants but also ensure the quality of graduates they produced were up to standard.
Modisane said his biggest wish was to ensure that students not only passed but were at the same time ready for the challenges and expectations of the working environment.
"I want to help with the ITC results to ensure that the students that we send on to go and write their board exams actually qualify to be chartered accountants and ultimately increase our percentage from where it was sitting."
"In terms of nominal values, we contribute much higher than other institutions but we still want to increase the percentage of those that went to Unisa and eventually sit for their exams actually pass."
Modisane hailed as being one of the first black people to obtain a PhD in accounting under the age of 35 years, said he realised that the biggest challenge for students was that often many got derailed at university level and forgot the main goal of them being there.
Being from the townships himself Modisane said students especially from rural areas got dragged into substance abuse, alcohol consumption and drugs, something which he believed ended up having an impact on how quickly they could finish their studies.
He said for him though what helped him keep focused was the fact he always wanted to be in charge of his career and push his limits but more than anything, he was pushed by the love he had for what he was doing.
"The biggest challenge for many students and why they struggle at tertiary level is because they are doing things for the wrong reasons like money or people telling them it has money. However, without the passion, it's going to be painful for them sitting with a 40% mark."
"My friends always teased me about not wanting to go out, but I was committed because I knew why I was there. I got a bursary. My parents couldn't afford to take me to school as my mom was earning R3 500 so thankfully she didn't have to pay a cent."
Modisane said he would be taking a break from studying whilst he settles into his new role, but he urged students to find role models with a passion and love for their career to take them under their wings in order to propel them forward.
Pretoria News