How Mongiwa Hazel Ntuli bagged an actuarial science degree at 17
She found herself having to adjust to the large age gaps between herself and her university peers.
Her family allowed her to have as normal a childhood as possible while encouraging her bright mind.
___________________________________________________________________________
While many at her age are still traversing through high school corridors, Mongiwa Hazel Ntuli has just bagged herself an actuarial science degree from the University of Pretoria at just 17 years old.
The young and bright mind from Rosettenville, Johannesburg, started her first year at university at 15, having accelerated through primary and high school.
How it all started
Mongiwa explains, 'When I was in Grade 3, I mistakenly wrote a Grade 4 mathematics paper and scored the highest of all the actual Grade 4 students. My teacher identified this and allowed me to write more Grade 4 papers and saw that I performed exceptionally well.'
Fast forward a few years and Mongiwa has pursued her passions in finance and mathematics, choosing actuarial sciences as a happy marriage of the two.
Her undergraduate experience
Mongiwa shares, 'Undergrad took up most of my time because I had to learn new study techniques because the ones I applied in high school were not sufficient anymore. I had a lot of help and a lot of tutors, which demanded a lot of my time. Spending so much time on my studies allowed me to learn to speak my mind more freely and to be more independent.'
READ MORE | Meet the founder of Distinguished Living, an interior design business
Undoubtedly, being the youngest in the lecture room is no easy feat and Mongiwa found herself having to find her place in the big world.
She explains, 'I can learn about other people easily and I can observe their behaviour effortlessly, while blending in with the students around me. Disadvantages were instances where I could not engage with other people because of a larger, more intimidating age gap. Once people learned about my age, they started treating me more like a younger sibling than treating me like another student.'
Mongiwa continues, 'I often felt out of place when attending big conferences or big events where serious topics are discussed and engagement was encouraged. There were highly intellectual people who I couldn't relate to or understand. They also didn't take into account that I only started learning about actuarial science relatively recently and didn't have an extensive background in that field.'
Off the cuff
What is the most important lesson you've learned from your journey so far? Never forget your roots but don't become your roots.
What are five fun things that you like to do in your free time? I love watching medical or murder mysteries series, reading financial and/or self-help books and playing tennis. I also love spending time with my younger brother. He has an interesting point of view on life. I also like listening to music.
If you could give advice to students aspiring to excel academically, what would it be? To never give up and to never stop learning. They should grab each and every opportunity they get and make sure that the decisions they make now don't come at the expense of the bright futures they could have.
What strategies or habits have been crucial to your success? Making sure I talk to my guardians/family and remain grounded. Praying is a huge part of my life and connecting with other people from other cultures helps me define myself more.
A strong support system
Although Mongiwa was encouraged to keep her age a secret so as to not be treated differently, through it all, her family as her support system gave a chance to experience a normal, loving and fulfilling childhood.
Mongiwa shares, 'I feel that my support system made it as normal as it could be. My age was not flaunted by my family members and I was protected by those around me. I never wanted to know another life.'
On her greatest source of support and inspiration, Mongiwa says, 'Definitely my aunt who taught me that failure is not final and to keep going no matter what comes my way. There will always be opposition or adversity whenever you are successful at something. I just have to learn to ignore it and take pride that I am doing the best I can.'
What's next for her?
Mongiwa has plans to pursue honours and masters degrees and dive into the world of work.
She explains, 'My short term goals are to actually pass my exams well enough to get an exemption and also have more job shadowing opportunities before I jump into anything long term. For the next few years I would love to have done something major for my guardians to show my appreciation, acquire some assets and have progressed in my academic and career life.'
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
News24
an hour ago
- News24
Digital payments are booming and regulation is struggling to keep up
As the adoption of digital payments grows, the need for regulatory frameworks that promote innovation, protect consumers, and enhance integrity and security of the financial system has become increasingly critical, says the FSCA's Keith Sabilika. Africa's financial landscape is experiencing significant transformation, as digital payments increasingly displace cash, and emerging crypto assets challenge traditional notions of money. Previously constrained by low banking penetration, the continent is now redefining financial inclusion, through the growth of mobile money and fintech innovation. This shift is further propelled by the increased internet and mobile phone penetration, the rise of e-commerce platforms and youthful tech-savvy population. However, as the adoption of digital payments grows, the need for regulatory frameworks that promote innovation, protect consumers, and enhance integrity and security of the financial system has become increasingly critical. The digital payments revolution Mobile money has changed the way people handle payments in Africa, with more than 1.1 billion registered mobile money accounts in 2024, reflecting a 19 percent increase from the previous year. Active accounts in 2024 rose by 13 percent to 286 million, demonstrating both broad adoption and growing usage. Transaction value climbed 12 percent to USD 1.1 trillion, while the number of transactions jumped 28 percent to 81 billion, indicating that users are making more, smaller payments, even as larger transfers persist. This shift reflects deeper financial engagement enabled by expanding smartphone and internet access, as well as innovative mobile money services. Africa has also emerged as one of the fastest-growing regions for crypto assets adoption, recording over $125 billion in on-chain crypto transactions in recent years, a trend that underscores the continent's shift toward cheaper, faster, and more accessible remittance alternatives. Crypto-based remittances, including those facilitated via stablecoins and blockchain networks, are being explored to bypass the high costs and delays associated with traditional banking infrastructure. Simultaneously, fintech APIs are revolutionising cross border transactions by enabling direct wallet-to-wallet interoperability across mobile money platforms, banks, and digital wallets. This significantly reduces friction and cost by eliminating the need for multiple intermediaries, particularly correspondent banks. The regulatory landscape Regulators in Africa are taking actions aimed at levelling the playing field and creating an enabling environment. For instance, the South African Reserve Bank's National Systems Payments Department (NPSD) is spearheading reforms aimed at broadening fintechs and non-bank participation in the national payment system (NPS). Meanwhile, South Africa's Financial Sector Conduct Authority (FSCA) has also emerged as a proactive regulatory force, prioritising consumer, and market development over bureaucratic compliance. A key regulatory milestone in this regard is the anticipated Conduct of Financial Institutions (COFI) Bill, which is expected to be tabled in parliament this year. This legislation is designed to level the playing field across financial institutions and fintech providers through a more adaptable, activity-based regulatory framework. These efforts reflect a shift toward a dynamic regulatory ecosystem, better suited to Africa's fast-moving digital payments sector. Recently in a landmark development, Ghana and Rwanda introduced a licensing passport system, allowing fintech's licensed in one country to expand into the other with minimal regulatory hurdles. By integrating this passport with the Pan-African Payment and Settlement System (PAPSS) and leveraging support from global partners such as the Monetary Authority of Singapore, the initiative is set to streamline cross border payments, lower transaction costs and processing times, and unlock new opportunities for intra-African trade and financial inclusion. Cross border collaboration is critical to overcome to address the enduring challenges involved in intra-Africa payments. In this regard, regional payment systems such as the Pan-African Payment and Settlement System (PAPSS) are addressing the high cost of cross border payments and promoting intra-Africa trade. Challenges and possible solutions The digital payment transition in Africa has made significant progress but faces challenges. While the regulatory landscape for digital payments is evolving, in line with the continent's rapidly expanding fintech sector and increasing focus on financial inclusion, regulatory fragmentation remains a major barrier to seamless cross border fintech innovation. With 54 countries each operating their own licensing requirements, prudential rules and compliance frameworks, fintechs face a patchwork of jurisdictional hurdles whenever they expand regionally. This lack of harmonisation drives up legal and operational costs, prolongs time-to-market and undermines economies of scale forcing many startups to limit their services to domestic markets. Addressing this challenge will require coordinated efforts to align licensing requirements, adopt common data-privacy and anti-money-laundering standards, and build interoperable platforms that enable fintechs to onboard customers, clear transactions and report to regulators under a unified set of rules. Cyber fraud and data breaches are escalating across Africa's digital payments landscape, highlighting the urgent need for comprehensive consumer protection and cybersecurity regimes. In South Africa alone, incidents of digital-banking fraud rose by 45 percent year-on-year, with related financial losses up 47 percent, according to South Africa Banking Risk Information Centre's (SABRIC) Annual Crime Statistics 2023. At the regional level, adopting Pan-African cybersecurity guidelines can ensure consistent incident-reporting, threat-sharing and resilience testing across borders. Trust, access, financial and digital literacy even though they are on the rise, remain uneven and insufficient. These factors act as significant barriers to the adoption of digital payments, especially in underserved and rural communities where low financial literacy and digital unfamiliarity persist. For instance, approximately 400 million in sub-Saharan Africa remain outside the formal financial system. In these areas, several users continue to rely on informal payment methods due to distrust of digital platforms, fear of fraud, and limited understanding of how digital financial services work. Building trust, therefore, requires more than just deploying secure platforms, it necessitates targeted consumer education initiatives that equip users with the knowledge and confidence to engage safely in digital transactions. These programmes should emphasise basic digital financial skills, data protection awareness, and fraud prevention strategies. Looking ahead Africa's digital payments revolution represents one of the most transformative developments in the continent's economic history, a narrative driven by mobile money, fintech innovation, and growing demand for low-cost, real-time financial services. With over 1 billion mobile money accounts and an expanding array of digital wallets, crypto-enabled remittance platforms, and API-powered fintech infrastructure, Africa is redefining how value moves across borders and communities.
Forbes
2 hours ago
- Forbes
Record Numbers Of U.S. Students Are Applying To Colleges In The U.K.
The University of St Andrews in Scotland is one of the most popular destinations for U.S. ... More undergraduates studying in the U.K. A record number of American students are applying to colleges in the United Kindgom, this year, according to new data released last week. That surge in interest comes as the Trump administration continues its highly publicized campaign against many aspects of higher education in this country, including attacks on international students, cutbacks in research funding, pressure on university presidents, crackdowns on elite institutions, and challenges to various components of the curricula – particularly those having to do with diversity, equity, and inclusion programs. One apparent effect of these tactics is a marked increase in the number of American undergraduate students looking to U.K. institutions to continue their post-secondary education. New figures from the Universities and Colleges Admission Service show that by the June 30 deadline, 7,930 applications had been received from American students for the fall 2025 semester. That represents an almost 14% increase over the previous year, and it's the highest total since these data began to be collected in 2006. The UCAS is a shared or unified admissions system employed in the U.K. Similar to the Common App in the United States, it's used by many — but not all — American students applying to British and other U.K. institutions so it likely underestimates the total number of applicants from the U.S. In addition, because it deals only with undergraduate admissions, it does not capture the outflow of U.S. graduate students that also appears to be underway. The number of international students applying for undergraduate studies at U.K. universities and colleges through UCAS increased overall by 2.2%. The increase was driven by a record number of applicants from China, up 10%, in addition to year-over-year increases in applicants from Ireland (+15%), Nigeria (+23%) and the U.S.(+14%). Not only did applications increase, the number of offers made by U.K. institutions to international students also saw a substantial jump — up more than 9% over the prior year. Meanwhile, U.S. institutions are expecting international student enrollment to decrease this year. As examples: In the 2023-24 academic year, more than 1.1 million international college students were enrolled in the U.S, according to the Institute of International Education's Open Doors report. That number marked an all-time high, representing about 6% of all college students in the nation. Since the pandemic in 2020-21, when the number of international students declined by a record 15%, enrollments have increased by a total of 200,000 students over the past three years. However, the tide appears to be turning against the U.S. as a preferred destination for international students in the Trump era, and institutions in Europe, Australia and Asia are taking advantage and gaining market share. That shift is now being accompanied by an increasing number of American students deciding to look abroad to continue their education, with the U.K. becoming a major beneficiary of these decisions.
Yahoo
3 hours ago
- Yahoo
Morocco's central bank explores digital currency cross-border payments
By Ahmed Eljechtimi RABAT (Reuters) -Morocco's central bank was exploring the use of its own digital currency for peer-to-peer and cross border payments, bank governor Abdellatif Jouahri said on Monday. A central bank digital currency (CBDC) is controlled by the central bank, in contrast to cryptocurrencies that are usually decentralised. Cryptocurrencies have been banned in Morocco since 2017, but the public continues to use them underground, circumventing restrictions. The bank has been working with the IMF and the World Bank to assess the payment system impacts of its central bank digital currency (CBDC), Jouahri told a conference in Rabat. The Moroccan central bank, together with its Egyptian peer and the World Bank, was also exploring the use of the CBDC for cross-border transfers, he said. A draft law on crypto assets is currently under review by the finance ministry before entering the adoption process, Jouahri said last month.
