Blessings Chidakwa
Herald Reporter
A 16-year-old girl who skipped three grades at primary school is hoping to enrol for a law degree at the University of Zimbabwe after attending selection interviews on Monday.
Ruvarashe Shammah Mitsouko Shayi battled it out with hundreds of prospective law students, after attaining 14 points in 2022 Zimsec A level examinations.
Ruvarashe sat the examinations in Family and Religious Studies, History, and Literature in English.
Born July 21, 2006 she will go down in the institution’s books as one of the youngest law students if selected.
Yesterday the prospective law student said she was hoping to make the grade.
“The examinations were tricky. I cannot say they were easy or hard. In the event that I fail to make it this year, I will definitely try again next year.
“While among other prospective law students I felt good. In every situation I try to feel normal like others regardless of age difference,” she said.
Based in Westgate suburb, Ruvarashe said she decided to pursue law for various reasons one of them being the quest to diligently serve humanity.
“I chose law so that I advocate human and children’s rights and also for prestige. It will also open opportunities for me to work with humanity and getting to understand society better,” she said.
Ruvarashe, who said her hobby has been reading books, attended Victoria Junior School before moving to Dikwindi Primary School in Masvingo.
She then proceeded to Kriste Mambo High school.
A quick search on the University of Zimbabwe website shows that it has three entry types including normal, mature and special entry.
Under normal entry UZ said the law programme has been very competitive and in recent years the minimum entry qualification has been 15 “A” level points.
The institution said since 2010, the competition for vacancies has increased so much that only candidates with 15 points were usually guaranteed a place.
On mature entry, it said the usual university requirements applied and only five places were reserved for this group while on special entry five places each year are reserved for this category.
UZ said on special entry, the candidates were either magistrates or prosecutors working for the Judicial Service Commission and the Ministry of Justice.
If admitted, Ruvarashe will follow in the footsteps, record breaking Maud Chifamba, who enrolled for a Bachelor of Accounting Honours Degree with the UZ in 2012 when she was aged just 14. She went on to complete her undergraduate studies.