SINGAPORE — While pursuing his studies at the Institute of Technical Education (ITE), Muhammad Ezekeyle Ezra Olbrich Wilfred John Olbrich would wake up every day at around 8am for school. And when classes ended, he would promptly start work as a food delivery rider around the Bukit Batok and Jurong East area. 

Rain or shine, the 19-year-old would spend at least five hours a day delivering food, sometimes working till 1am. 

Mr Ezekeyle had begun working since he was 15 to support his family. That year, his grandmother died and his grandfather had to stop working after suffering from a stroke.

He is currently living with his 72-year-old grandfather and elder brother, who turns 20 this year, in a rented two-room Housing and Development Board (HDB) flat in Boon Lay. His parents are divorced and he has lost contact with them.

Although he found it “tough and pressurising” managing his studies and work at first, Mr Ezekeyle said: “I got used to it over time… And l see it as a headstart in life because eventually I’ll have my own family responsibilities when I start my own family.”

Among the 14,179 ITE students who graduated on Wednesday (July 27), two stood out because they not only performed exceptionally well, but did so while juggling work and taking care of their families.  

For Mr Ezekeyle, who graduated with a National ITE Certificate (Nitec) in Mechatronics and Robotics, the key to managing both work and studies was to keep a positive mindset and to “take one step at a time”. 

“So when it comes to work, I’ll concentrate on my work and not get distracted. When I'm in school, I’ll try to focus or grab as much knowledge as I can while I'm in class so that I do not have to spend extra hours revising outside of class,” he said. 

Despite his hectic schedule, Mr Ezekeyle still achieved a perfect Grade Point Average of 4.0 and bagged several awards over the course of two years while he was pursuing his studies. 

In 2019, he received the Singapore Civil Defence Force’s Community First Responder Award for saving his neighbours from a fire in their home, which started from an overcharged scooter battery that exploded. 

He had grabbed a fire extinguisher from his home and rushed to the house to put out the fire. 

Mr Ezekeyle also received the Lee Kuan Yew Model Student Award in May and was on the Directors’ List for all semesters.

The robotics enthusiast said that he owes his success to the people around him, such as his classmates, lecturers and grandparents. 

“My grandparents have always been my pillars of support… No matter what I want to do, they will always support me and tell me to follow my heart,” he said with a smile. 

Mr Nelson Ng, who was Mr Ezekeyle's class advisor at ITE, said: “Ezekeyle has always presented himself very maturely far beyond his age...and is a role model to his classmates.”

Mr Ezekeyle is currently pursuing a Higher Nitec in Mechatronics Engineering at ITE while still working as a delivery rider. He said that as classes tend to end later, he would often have to carry his delivery bags to school so he can start working immediately after. 

But he still remains positive despite the added challenge and said: “To me, all work is tiring but what helps me overcome it is to enjoy it.”

THE 'SUPERWOMAN' WHO STUDIES WITH HER KIDS

For 41-year-old Suria Saad, returning to ITE to further her studies was both exciting and daunting. 

“I was looking forward to it but worried that I wouldn't be able to catch up with my younger classmates,” she said. 

Yet, she decided to take the plunge and take on a Work-Study Diploma at ITE, which allows students to work full-time while also having dedicated campus time to attend lessons, as she wanted to grow in her career and “stay relevant”. 

“I thought that if my younger colleagues were able to get degrees and have those qualifications, why not myself, too?” said Ms Suria, adding that this mindset served as a “source of motivation” for her. 

Indeed, her efforts paid off as she was promoted twice within the two-and-a-half years she spent pursuing her diploma in Community Engagement and Development. She currently works at Sport Singapore as an assistant centre manager for Jurong West Sports Centre and Hockey Village at Boon Lay.

Under the programme, the mother of two would attend classes for one-and-a-half days per week while working for the rest of the week. 

This was no easy feat, as on top of work and study commitments, she also had to handle household chores such as cooking and cleaning, as well as spend time with her children. 

Another reason Ms Suria decided to take on this challenge was to be a “good role model” to her nine-year-old daughter and six-year-old son, who initially wondered why she was returning to school. 

“I wanted to show them that at this age, Mummy can also study and we can study together,” said Ms Suria. 

She secured a Grade Point Average of 3.527 and was the Gold Course Medal winner of her course in 2021.

She added that she had to explain to her children that there are “a lot of things for you to study beyond just compulsory education”, as her children had thought that schooling is “just for kids”. 

“I also told them that there are probably things they learnt in school that ibu (Malay word for mother) don’t know. So when they come back and share with me I’ll learn, too. That’s how knowledge is,” added Ms Suria. 

Ms Suria's husband, 40-year-old Ezwann Tomin who works in logistics and delivery, called her a "superwoman" and said: "I was very proud and glad to see her on stage for her graduation... Her hard work has paid off." 

Although it was difficult juggling her various responsibilities, Ms Suria enjoyed studying and working on her assignments every night and slowly got used to the routine over time.  

“After the programme ended, I suddenly felt like I had a lot of time and there was something missing,” Ms Suria said with a chuckle. 

For her, learning never stops and she is now pursuing a Continuing Education and Training module on social work at the Singapore University of Social Sciences. 

When asked if she had any tips for working mothers who also plan to return to school, Ms Suria said: "Do not be afraid to ask or seek help. And make sure to take breaks and do self-care as and when because we deserve it.”