29 June 2022 

Article contributions by Gareth Oliver - Head of School | School of Professional Accounting (CA Connect) and Rohwan Naidoo - CA Connect alumni 

Rohwan Naidoo knows the crushing feeling of academic struggle. After failing South African Institute of Chartered Accountants (SAICA’s) Initial Test of Competence (ITC) entry exam six times, the qualifying test to become a chartered accountant in South Africa, he was despondent. “I was beaten to the core, with absolutely no confidence in anything I did,” he recalls. "I felt inadequate and incapable of standing in the same room with my colleagues – I felt inferior to everyone.”

At the time, Rohwan was an audit supervisor with international accounting firm Binder Dijker Ott in Durban.

It was a good job, but he wanted more. And there was every reason to think he could get there – Rohwan had matriculated in 2013 with seven distinctions and a top ranking in his district. And yet the ITC exam stood in his way and there was no way around it.

Eventually, Rohwan went online and found Milpark Education’s CA Connect course. He decided to enrol for a Postgraduate Diploma in Accounting (PGDA) again. He wanted a fresh start. In 2021, after the one-year online course, Rohwan passed the ITC. He is now preparing for the next board exam, and is on track to becoming a CA. 

He has four tips for other students:

1. Don’t give up on yourself

Studying is hard, especially if you are working full-time and have other responsibilities too. Rohwan recalls working eight-hour days, coming home and studying even though he was tired. But quitting was not an option. “I had overcome so much in my life already. There had been so many sacrifices and investments to get me to where I was. It didn’t make sense to walk away when I had a clear goal and a focus in my life.”

2. Choose the right education partner

Rohwan had studied through other institutions before, but his experience was utterly new. “You would never believe the number of light bulb moments I had with CA Connect,” says Rohwan. “Things finally just came together in my mind.” He talks about the impact of enthusiastic lecturers who could explain complex theories and intricate financial codes. Concepts he’d wrestled with previously – everything from deferred tax to financial instruments -- were suddenly illuminated. 

3. Believe in yourself - and surround yourself with others who do too

The eight months he spent redoing the PGDA were difficult for Rohwan. “But at the same time, they were the most fulfilling of my entire life – the lecturers were so invested in us.” He talks of the support he received from faculty and staff members. His years of struggling had shaken his confidence to the core. For Rohwan, the personal attention was invaluable.

4. Don’t be afraid of an online programme

Studying online requires independence and self-discipline, but the structure and built-in support system at CA Connect was comprehensive. For Rohwan, it was much easier to digest information from online lectures and material than in a conventional academic setting. Instead of attending a lecture after a long day of work, he could watch a five-minute video, which he could rewatch as many times as he needed to grasp it. “The lecturers were so approachable. My interaction with the institution felt more like connecting with a family than being at an actual university lecture,” says Rohwan.

Before writing the ITC for the seventh time, Rohwan was overcome with anxiety. But talking to Gareth Olivier, the founder of CA Connect, helped put him at ease. “Gareth picked me up and showed me that I was in a different cognitive space this time round,” says Rohwan. “He had so much faith in me and in my preparation throughout the course – he was totally convinced I would pass the ITC – and I did!”