Teen becomes youngest actuarial science graduate

AT AN AGE when most teenagers are still navigating high school, Mongiwa Hazel Ntuli will be donning her graduation gown this autumn as one of the University of Pretoria's (UP) youngest-ever graduates, obtaining a degree in Actuarial Science at the age of 17.

- ZELDA VENTER

Originally from Rosettenville, Johannesburg, Mongiwa's academic journey is nothing short of remarkable.

She began her university studies in 2022, having accelerated through primary and secondary school after her academic talents became clear at an early age.

"When I was in Grade 3, I mistakenly wrote a Grade 4 mathematics paper and scored the highest of all the actual Grade 4 learners. My teacher identified this and allowed me to write more Grade 4 papers, and saw that I performed exceptionally well."

This led to an extraordinary academic leap, eventually placing her at university, years ahead of her peers.

Her achievements, she says, are grounded in gratitude and faith.

Despite her academic brilliance, being significantly younger than her classmates brought about a few challenges.