A family affair as couple graduate with doctorates

BOTH AIM TO IMPROVE OPPORTUNITIES AND ACCESS FOR YOUNG PEOPLE

- POST REPORTER

MAKING it a family affair, husband and wife, Dr Shalendra Mohanlall and Dr Fadeela Kirsten, have graduated together with their PhDs.

Mohanlall achieved a PhD in gender education, while Kirsten earned hers in science education.

Although their studies took them down different research paths, they shared a common motivator: their daughter Ziya.

Inspired by her and the future, both aimed to improve opportunities and access for young people.

Mohanlall and Kirsten said having a spouse pursuing a PhD at the same time offered valuable direction and guidance.

"It was interesting to reflect on how we were both engaged in academic spaces that, in different ways, push against traditional expectations.

"Sharing the journey of completing our PhDs simultaneously brought a unique sense of support and understanding to what is often a very personal and demanding process," said Mohanlall.

"This achievement is a full-circle moment for me," added Mohanlall, who is currently the head of executive education at the UKZN Graduate School of Business and Leadership.

"Completing my final degree here feels fitting and meaningful as this is where it all began years ago."

His thesis, "Understanding the cricketing gender gap from the perspective of primary school girls", explored the under-representation of girls in school-level cricket in South Africa, a sport that remains male-dominated despite no formal restrictions preventing girls from playing.

Using a social constructionist lens to centre the voices of these girls, he gained an understanding of the factors influencing the gap and explored their perspectives on fostering greater inclusivity.