The Sunday Mail
Leroy Dzenga
Senior Reporter
Dr Matthew Mare has a peculiar addiction.
He simply cannot stop studying and has become a near-permanent fixture in lecture halls. With two bachelor’s degrees, five master’s degrees, one PhD and another on the way, the 39-year-old is clearly a serial academic.
But, in all his pursuits, the father of three still manages to balance fatherhood, education and work with ease.
It all started with his father, who was a tough disciplinarian determined to groom his son to be an achiever.
“My father would encourage teachers to mete out corporal punishment on me. He would beat me, trying to push me to emulate his exploits, which he said made him the best Standard Six learner at Gokomere High School in Masvingo,” Dr Mare told The Sunday Mail.
Growing up in Rushinga, Mashonaland Central, Dr Mare’s journey was not smooth sailing.
The schools he attended – Nyamatikiti Primary School and Nyamatikiti High – were under-resourced.
At Ordinary Level, he managed five subjects in the first sitting, but did not pass English, so he had to supplement the following year before proceeding to Advanced Level.
His love life as a high school learner almost derailed his studies.
Born of a Catholic catechist and being an apple of his mother’s eye, he first introduced his girlfriend to the priest knowing full well that once their relationship was blessed it would not be questioned.
However, before long, the two got married at a time Matthew was still doing his A-Level.
“I had an early weakness perhaps of believing in love too much at a young age. There was this girl who broke my heart. I moved on and got another girl, Fungai, who is now my wife.”
Because of the distractions, he scored four points at Upper Six.
He subsequently studied for a diploma in religious studies and philosophy at the University of Zimbabwe (UZ).
“This was when I had an epiphany that there is more to life than what I had grown to know in Rushinga and I could redeem myself through studying. I completed my religious studies diploma in 2007 and proceeded to do a bachelor’s degree in religious studies at UZ immediately after,” said Dr Mare.
After graduating in 2010, he felt the need to further widen his horizons. He also has a degree in political science from UZ.
“I had a bit of regret as I was doing my masters in religious studies in 2012. I was seeing others doing medicine and other seemingly sophisticated programmes. I immediately got a feeling I had a bigger role to play. So I felt I needed to venture into other disciplines.”
It was this drive which saw him read for his Masters in Human Rights, Peace and Development (AU), Master of Science in Development studies (WUA), Masters in Strategic Communication (WUA), Masters of Science in Leadership and Conflict Resolution (ZOU) and a PhD in Systematic Theology (UNISA) between 2013 and 2021.
Currently, he is working towards a Masters in War and Security (UZ) and a PhD in law focusing on human rights (UNISA).
However, postgraduate qualifications come with an imposing workload.
“I have always wanted to be an academic and I am enjoying what I am doing. However, the journey has taken away my social and spiritual life. I rarely go to church because on weekends I will be in class,” he says.
The National AIDS Council (NAC) board member says he is not yet done.
“At least if I achieve 10 master’s degrees and three PhDs I may be content. These days I am, however, trying to find a way to balance. I am no longer young, so the pace may not be as frantic as it previously was. I am also writing publications, which demand my time. I have about 10 publications that I am polishing for publishing before year-end. I am also looking forward to writing 10 more publications next year and then I qualify to become an associate professor.”
Dr Mare finances his studies from his pocket and sometimes with assistance from his wife and close family members.
But, he says he is under no illusion that he will get rich from academics.
“In real life situations, there is no direct correlation between education and financial reward. This is why the majority of the so-called educated people are not rich. Education gives us branding and much-needed respect. If you study thinking of it as a source of income, you will die frustrated. I am simply equipping myself to fit in the ever-changing world.”
Family and friends have on occasions tried to counsel him not to dedicate his life to education, but he is still unmoved.
“I watch YouTube videos for leisure, that is what occupies my free time,” he says.
Family time
Despite his seemingly odd routine, he still has time for family.
“My family is based in Madziwa, that is where my wife works. Inasmuch as I am busy, I make sure that I suspend everything. As long as they are around they are my priority. I do not want education to become an obstacle to my family’s happiness. I communicate what I will be working on and I explain how we will all benefit from my studying,” he says.
Dr Mare is also trying his hand in business.
“Besides being a NAC board member, I do commodity broking. I use my knowledge to analyse markets and I move Zimbabwean products to markets where the said products are in short supply. I have three children and I should leave them something tangible. I do not want them to stand by my grave complaining that I dedicated my time to study without leaving them a bankable legacy. Fatherhood is of utmost importance.”
Dr Mare’s wife, Fungai, a nurse in Madziwa, says she has always supported her high school sweetheart’s vision.
“We worked our way around his schedule as a family; we are now used to it. We are hoping that one day we reach the great heights he is aiming for.
“We are patient. He is usually busy with his studies and you can see that he is dedicated to what he does. Despite his hectic schedule, he remains a great father to his children,” she says.
