A Gutu Whiz kid, Tadiwanashe Ryan Emmanuel Mavetera (17) who got 20 straight O Level subjects in the November 2020 exams has decided to do 10 A level subjects in a development that could see him setting a new world academic record.
Chatting with The Mirror last week Mavetera said he was confident to pass all the 10 subjects. After that he will apply for a scholarship with Massachusetts University of Technology.
Mavetera who was at Ruya Adventist High School in Mt Darwin says he will do Pure Maths, Additional Maths, Chemistry, Physics, Biology, Crop Science, Agricultural Engineering, Accounts, Business Enterprise Skills and Compute Science at A Level.
He said it was not the first time that he had been criticised for taking too many subjects. His teachers and classmates always criticised him for taking 20 O Level subjects.Of the 20, a large number were self-taught including Additional Mathematics, Business and Enterprise Skills and Commerce.
He had 20 As’ in Mathematics, additional Mathematics, Combined Science, Physics, Chemistry, Agriculture, Biology, Sociology, Business and enterprise skills, Family and religious studies, PE, sports and mass displays, Principles of accounting, English Language, Heritage studies, Building technology and design, Commerce, Geography, Shona language, Computer science and History.
“I want to do Nuclear and Quantum Physics at university. I attribute my success to hard work and divine intervention,” said Mavetera.
He said that he is a disciplined student who adhered to a strict reading timetable during the lockdown. He said that internet was also very useful to him.
“I worked hard and defied the odds; I faced a lot of criticism from some teachers and classmates over the number of subjects I was studying but I had faith in God
.Mavetera was born to Muchemwa Mavetera and Elizabeth Mavetera in 2004. His father works in the diaspora while his mother is a housewife. He has one sibling, a young brother Tawananyasha Mavetera who is doing Form 1 at Ruya Secondary School.
The Gutu Whizz kid did his primary education at Hamilton in South Africa before transferring to Ralph Junior school in Harare where he attained five units. He then enrolled at Ruya Adventist for his secondary education.
“I have been the overall best student across my classes since grade 1 but I faced difficulties with Shona and General paper when I moved South African to Zimbabwe.
“I am grateful to my parents, friends, Ruya Chaplin Pastor Utete and teachers who went the extra mile with me. My parents taught me to pray for wisdom when I was growing up. Hard work and divine intervention are my reasons for success,” said Mavetera.
