Teachers plant seeds of knowledge that grow forever

One child, one teacher, one book, one pen can

change the world.– Malala Yousafzai

Teachers plant seeds of knowledge that grow forever

The Road Accident Fund applauds the education sector for educating learners withspecial needs . This is in line with RAF’s mandate of providing cover, compensationand rehabilitation for learners affected by road accidents.

Call Us: 0860 23 55 23

Road Accident Fundwww.raf.co.za

RAF proudly supports the 16th Annual National Teachers Awards

Recognising Teachers for ‘Excellence inSpecial Needs and Inclusive Teaching’

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OUR SPONSORS

CONTENTS

Message from the Minister of Basic Education, Mrs Angie Motshekga, MP

Message from the Deputy Minister of Basic Education, Mr Enver Surty, MP

Categories of the 16th Annual National Teaching Awards

Messages from Sponsors

Excellence in Primary School Teaching

Excellence in Secondary School Teaching

Excellence in Primary School Leadership

Excellence in Technology

Excellence in Technology-Enhanced Teaching and Learning

Excellence in Natural Sciences Teaching (GET)

Excellence in Secondary School Leadership

Excellence in Grade R Teaching

Excellence in Special Needs and Inclusive Teaching

Kha Ri Gude Volunteer Educator

Kha Ri Gude Inclusive Education Volunteer Educator

The Prof Kader Asmal Excellence Award

Lifetime Achievement Award

Contact details:Twitter: DBE_SAFacebook DBE SA Website: www.education.gov.zaCall Centre :0800202933

Mrs Angie Motshekga, MPMinister of Basic Education

The National Teaching Awards is one of my favourite events onthe Basic Education Department calendar and not because it gives us the opportunity to walk down a glitzy red carpet. I love the National Teaching Awards because it gives me the opportunity to not only celebrate these incredible men and women who give their all to the teaching profession, but to engage and learn from those who em-body what being a professional teachers is all about, it is an event where we are able to show our appreciation for these teachers who go above and beyond to make the future of South Africa a brighter place through the creation of active, responsible citizens.

It is teachers like those invited to be a part of the NTA’s that manage to inspire and cultivate a love for life-long learning in the lives of the learners

they work with. Some have described teaching as a thankless profession, but as a teacher myself, I can attest to the fact that there is little more rewarding than seeing one of your learners succeed and make a difference in their own life and the lives of others. We can proudly boast “he was one of mine”.

Teachers and learners are the most important stakeholders in the education system. Everything we do as a sector needs to be centred around the teacher and learner: if it isn’t, we need to ask ourselves why are we doing it. The system fails and succeeds on the backs of our teachers and we appreciate the hard work and sacrifices made to be a great teacher.

Teachers, we appreciate you as an extremely important facet of our society. Teachers are the people who educate the youth of society who in turn become the leaders of the next generation of people. Teachers are the people who are imparting knowledge to our children in their most impressionable years.

What children learn from their teachers at a young age will most likely stay within some form for the rest of their lives. Teachers play an extraordinary role in the lives of children for the formative years of their development and the importance of teachers is something that cannot be understated. Within a school, if teachers are well educated and they are intellectually alive and take keen interest in their job, then only success is ensured.

Mr Enver Surty, MPDeputy Minister of Basic Education

Teachers are our most valuable assets in the education sector, and we have thousands of phenomenal teachers who serve their country with pride and dedication. It is an honour to host our best teachers from across the country at this gala event. It is a pity we cannot honour more of them at the National Teaching Awards.

It is extremely important for us at the Department of Basic Education that we support and build our teachers to be the best they can be. To ensure this, we have embarked on a massive, continued, professional development initiative for our teachers with the support and assistance of all the teacher unions representing the sector.

One such initiative is the Mathematics Improvement Plan, in recent years the performance of learners in Mathematics and levels of competency of our Mathematics teachers has been un-der scrutiny. The ‘1+4 Model’ (one day a week of training and four days a week of teaching) is based on and supports the concept of the Professional Learning Communities(PLCs), which the Minister of Basic Educa-tion, Mrs Motshekga, launched on 7 August 2014. The added benefit of the ‘1+4 Model” is that teachers meet on pre-determined working days. The methodology works on the assumption that teachers need assistance with the entire curriculum and not just certain sections of the curriculum that they presumably have difficul-ties teaching. We need to be extremely RADICAL and do the ‘out of the normal’ in our determination to ensure the quality of our mathematics education

The quality of education of any system is predicted on the quality of its teachers. The qualification profile of teachers in the sector has improved from 53 percent in 1990 to 97 percent in 2013. The data on the Foundation Phase teacher education involving universities show massive growth from 35 275 in 2008 to 97 000 in 2013. These numbers continue to grow year-on-year. Whilst this is encouraging, different studies still point to the need to continuously ensure that teachers’ and subject advisors’ competencies are improved.

To assist in this process the number of fully-functional teacher resource centres has gone from 9 to 40. After the successful proof of concept in which nine Teacher Centres, one in each province, were rolled out with the help of Vodacom, we have now managed to equip and connect a total of 40 Teacher Centres across South Africa. The centres are the hub of the district’s teacher-training programme, and are outfitted with a comput-er classroom and an internet café. We would like all teachers to make use of these valuable resources.

We are committed to ensuring that our teachers are able to grow and improve. To quote William Arthur Ward, “The mediocre teacher tells. The good teacher explains. The superior teacher demonstrates. The great teacher inspires”. We want all of our teachers to be able to inspire our learners and inspire the nation through efficient, quality education.

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A TEACHER PRESENTS THE PAST, REVEALS THE PRESENT AND CREATES THE FUTURE

Sarah Hattingh has been a teacher for 12 years. She initial-ly studied towards a BA majoring in English and Psychology �� Education where she specialised in Life Orientation, Technol-ogy, Counselling and Guidance. Her greatest joy is watching children change before her eyes as she sees the impact she has made in their lives. Through her career she has had to overcome many challenges, including a lack of proper support structure at home for children due to issues such as poverty and illiterate parents at home. To help deal with these issues she has opened a telephone line and created a WhatsApp

group for children and parents to deal with school related issues. For children with poverty, she prepares lunch boxes for them from her own home and take the dirty uniform to wash it at her house for them to have fresh uniform in the morn-ing. She also arranges donations for those who do not have ��and see how you have moulded their life. And when you see how much better they have become and how they make other people’s live better, you realise we make a better world, one child at a time.”

Betty Kwena Mojela has been teaching at Rev MP Malatjie Primary school since 2012, teaching English, Social Scienc-es and Computer studies. Besides loving the profession, she was inspired by her primary teacher particularly and feels that she is good at what she does. She completed her studies at Kwena Moloto College of Education; studying Primary Junior Teacher’s Diploma and further completed ��through UNISA. She is working in collaboration with Molteno Company, which teaches literacy through technology, to encourage reading and writing. “As an English teacher, you ��

coming up with ways to evoke a passion in learners to read and write. Then I came across the company, which collabo-rated with the school and trained all the teachers. Everybody may know technology gadgets, however, if that technology has programmes that help learners progress in class, it is a !��"��!�� It becomes easy to reach out to learners and now they want books to read,” she explains. #��$�� something new each day is a great achievement and believes that every great moment in learning should be celebrated as an accomplishment.

%��&��'�(��)��*��As far as she can recall, she has always wanted to be a teacher and has been in the profession for 17 years. She now teaches at a multicultural school where they also accommodate children with disabilities. When she graduat-ed, she worked at a private school where she taught Zulu, in Kwa-Zulu Natal. She then went to teach in Hill brow where she was exposed to learners from various backgrounds and to those without parents and many others facing barriers to learning. “It is amazing to work with these little children. I have 30 chil-

��$��+/��4��$�personalities. And I cannot see myself working with anything else; it is amazing to know you are working with a child, you are working with the future,” she says. “We have volunteer groups to help with challenges such as kids with reading disabilities; a help-to-read-volunteer-group that comes daily to help with reading and fund raising to buy resources we lack; we also have companies which sponsor, depending on the type of event we want them to sponsor and also have a parent community, which helps raise donations through companies they work for,” she explains.

Winner Sarah Elizabeth Hattingh

Graanveld Primary School, Free State

Second PositionMojela Kwena Betty

Rev MP Malatjie Primary School, Limpopo

Third PositionTasnim Muradmia

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Excellence in Primary School Teaching

Ettienne RouxKlipspringer Primary School, Mpumalanga

Motlalepula Matshwe Floors North Primary, Northern Cape

Charnelle Hector Belmor Primary School, Western Cape

Ettienne Roux is a teacher at Klipspringer Pri-mary. A passionate teacher, he has prevailed against the odds, teaching without electricity and proper desks in a mobile classroom - yet still managing to provide quality teaching to all his learners. “Having pupils commuting long hours to school using public transport, one has to pack a lot of content in a limited time that the learners are there”. His passion for teaching moves him to be innovative so that learners may remain captivated. “A true teacher is always creative, innovative and you have to make do with what you have. I have taught in chicken runs before, I have taught under a tree before. A true teacher does not

need anything except him or herself. There is no excuse not to deliver quality education, even if you don’t have a thing in a box, there is no need not to deliver quality education.” His dedication towards education extends beyond the classroom and he facilitates camps and educational programmes during weekends and school holidays. He started a ROCKS club (Research, Respect, Outing and Outreaches, Conservation and Culture, Key, Skills and Survival), where they have weekend educational camps which expose learners to many environmental things and real life ��$�!��life skills.

Motlalepula Matshwe is a teacher at Floors North Primary School and has been in the profession for 13 years. While teaching may ��!��$�� after her sister – who is also a teacher – convinced her to. She teaches all subjects in foundation phase and is a passionate and committed educator. “The love for children keeps me above the challenges of inadequate resources which

have to be shared amongst a large group of pupils in our school which is located in a former coloured area,” she explains. For her school to be able to achieve certain things, they depend on fund raising, in which she plays a key role by making sure the events reap rewards for her learners. They have buzzers each year and have planned days like fun day, where certain amounts of money is contributed to give the ��!��

Charnelle Hector is a teacher at Belmor Primary school in the Western Cape where she teaches all subjects at a foundation phase including English and Afrikaans in Grade 7, amongst others. She has always had a passion for teaching and it was fuelled more by both her Primary English teacher and high school - especially the high school teacher who always acknowledged good work and encouraged her to excel. Teaching in an area with many social ills, she has made it her

mission to identify the ills in her community ��8��4��-ence. Recognising social ills in the community such as violence and the trauma it brought to the pupils, she started various activities such as book club, dance and jogging club for all children from the school. These activities have made an important impact on the community and it helps ease the trauma the learners face daily and keeps them busy through these ac-tivities which they were not exposed to before.

Excellence in Primary School TeachingFINALISTS

IN TEACHING OTHERS W

Dr Ismail Rangraje Colenso Primary School, KwaZulu-Natal

Wikus OlliverKabega Primary School, Eastern Cape

Mapula Phetoe Molotsi Primary School, North West

Ismail Rangraje has always been passionate about teaching. He is a teacher at Colenso Primary and has been in the teaching pro-fession for 34 years. He holds several qual-��$��:��-ate Degree in education. He has taught at ��4�� positions of management and leadership. He is currently teaches English, Mathematics, and Natural Science. “The highlight of my work has been to develop young children into responsible adults,” he says. He has always encouraged learners to

take part in sports and other recreational activities in a quest to ensure that they do not engage in any antisocial activities that are prevalent in society. He often introduces them to sports role models who lead a healthy lifestyle. Being in management post, Ranra-je coordinates the school’s extra-curricular programme and has overseen the implemen-tation of a range of sporting codes at school. His learners have also participated in co-cur-ricular activities, such as Astro Quiz, Science expo, Spelling Bee and Maths Olympiad on an inter-school basis, in which they have excelled.

Wikus Olliver has been at Kabega Primary *��</��=��of the teaching profession and enjoyed it while he was a peer educator at school and that encouraged him to apply for a teaching >��?�� from Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University to pursue his career.��4��@!��lack of resources, however with the help of stakeholders and sponsorships they are able to beats the odds. There is also a language

barrier at school but it is conquered through learner support and the parents play a vital role into helping to bridge that gap. They have activities that help the school achieve optimal learning and advance in various learning areas such as recycling programmes where they recycle items for funds to help buy things they need at the school. There is also the Science expo where learners take part in competitions and teachers also get involved in community projects such as visiting old age homes and promoting charities.

Mapula Phetoe is a teacher at Molotsu Pri-mary in the North West. She has a love for children and believes her purpose in life is to educate children. Faced with many challenges such as overcrowded classrooms and inad-equate resources, she has faced the issues head on – enjoying every step of the journey. “I like smaller children. They are very easy people. For example in the morning they are able to just come and hug you, tell you all hi-larious stories that make your day. That keeps

me going,” she explains.Her primary school teachers were her inspira-tion for choosing the profession and her love for books also motivated her. She has initiated various activities for children such as chess, ��!�� 4��4��these activities; and even though there is a lot of discipline involved, the children are ��!��come across.”

Excellence in Primary School TeachingFINALISTS

WE TEACH OURSELVES

TODAY YOU LEAD THE SCHOOL, TOMORROW YOUR STUDENTS WILL LEAD THE WORLD


Ntobozuko Mkizwana has been in the teaching profession for 18 years and has had a taste of all phases of basic educa-tion. “Teaching various phases has gained me vast experi-

-els of children and I learnt that it is easier to teach children at intermediate phase than learners in the senior phase,” she states. In her class, learners come from far away communi-ties and those who live without parents and are independent

school work and complete it as required. She has introduced activities such as public speaking competitions to keep them engaged and make things interesting and involved them in competitions such as the math Olympiad to improve their discipline and encourage them to achieve. “When you are a teacher, you are an all-rounder; you are the mother of all professions. I solve cases because I am in the disciplinary committee and apply what I learn during the process to my classroom.”

Jason Fisher is a teacher at Randfontein High School and has been in the teaching profession for 30 years. Over the years, he has gained invaluable experience at the various school levels which he has taught and has written the book about the fruits of his labour and the tracks he has marked behind him.He believes that God planned his path. “I could make a lot of money elsewhere, however for me it is not about the money.

When I started they deployed us to places, and I was placed to teach in rural areas and that is where my passion for teaching was confronted. And I have never ever regretted to choose to teach.” He started a reading garden at the school, social network-ing pages for the subjects he teaches for his learners and has taken the children out of the country through debates programmes such as Pan African debates in Botswana.

Lindiwe Ndlamlenze is a teacher at St John Paul ∏ Second-ary. She has been a teacher for 11 years and although she initially she did not want to be a teacher, she did her post-

continue with Honours & Masters in Education and currently she is doing her Ph.D. with UKZN.Ndlamlenze is well aware of the challenges of a farm school, as she is the product of the school herself. She had goals she wanted to achieve but couldn’t and as such, having

had the opportunity through a bursary she obtained from a tertiary institution, she was inspired to give back to the community. “After I got an opportunity to upgrade myself, I was inspired to give back to my community and uplift the children who are hopeless, who heads families because of the pandemic of HIV/AIDS. I make networks with higher institutions to ensure they have access to information and resources through a REAP programme, which enables them to further their studies.”

Winner Ntombozuko Mkizwana

Mandela School of Science and Technology Secondary School, Eastern Cape

Second PositionJason Fisher

Randfontein High School, Gauteng

Third PositionLindiwe Ndlamlenze

St John Paul ∏ Secondary School, KwaZulu-Natal

IT TAKES A BIG HEART TO H


Hannelie Christina Ras-PretoriusDesmond Mpilo Tutu Secondary School, Western Cape

Daniel Maliwa MabenaUkukhanya Secondary School, Mpumalanga

Mmatlou TloubatlaSt Brendan’s Catholic Secondary School, Limpopo

FINALISTS

Hannelie Ras-Pretorius teaches is a drama and art teacher at Desmond Mpilo Tutu Sec-ondary, which is located in a rural community. Learners at the school are not exposed to arts such as theatre and cinema and she has taken on the challenge of giving her learners access and appreciation to the dramatic arts. She has started a production theatre called Black and White production at school which caters for the community as well. “Beside art

I like how words are constructed and I am fascinated by how people communicate and that make my profession enjoyable”. Faced with resource shortages, she says it becomes increasingly important to strive to provide learners with the best possible learning experience of the subject she teaches. Malala said, “One teacher, one child, one book and one pen can change the world,” she concludes.

Mabena has been in the profession for 25 years and has a Primary teacher’s Diploma from the College of Education at UNISA. The support he has received from various stake-holders has seen him conquer challenges he faced at the school such as over-crowded classrooms and ill-disciplined adolescent stage children. In his journey at Ukukhanya Secondary school, he has recognised the trouble learners go through to complete their studies, moving from one area to another; in search of infor-mation and internet access to complete their

school projects. He has converted a school storeroom into school library and entered various competitions as well as searching for donations to help gather material for the library. He has won 21 tablets, a projector and a laptop from Drum magazine in a competi-tion where teachers who go an extra mile were sought, in 2013. He has also participated in library competi-tions and became Mpumalanga librarian of the year. As a token of appreciation, he was given school library material for enrichment of the curriculum to the value of R500 000.

Mmatlou Tloubatla has been teaching for 21 years and currently teaches English from Grade 8 to 12. She has always had a passion ��=��8��8��4�� school where she taught foundation phase, however her passion lay more with the sec-ondary school learners and after 13 years of teaching at primary school, her dream came true when she was transferred to St Brendan’s Catholic Secondary School. She was inspired by her former teachers to

follow this profession. “I had really motiva-tional teachers from primary school level until high school. As such I felt the need to ��8��4��profession, because I couldn’t stand and see learners being left alone’. She initiated activi-ties which were not present at the school such as the Spelling bee, English Olympiad, reading festivals where learners will be telling stores, speeches and reading clubs which encourage the whole community to read.

HELP SHAPE LITTLE MINDS


Kevin BoraineFloors No 2/Tlhomelang High School, Nothern Cape

Bennete BritsVoortrekker High School, Free State

Jonathan De KiewitMilner High School, North West

FINALISTS

Bennete Brit has 20 years of experience in the profession and has learnt that without passion for her career, she may not be able to stand against the challenges she faced such as a lack of resources. She was inspired by his father, who was a Dean of the faculty of education at Free State University to become a teacher. He took his career as his hobby and his passion sparked ��studied nursing because she wanted to help

people, she realised her love for helping peo-ple could be realised by educating children. “My father was my mentor, from the moment I opened my eyes, education and teaching was part of my life and he always said his hobby was his career. As a result my hobby is my career,” she says. She is responsible for motivational talks at her school, organising camps and taking them on excursions to �^ �� 4��experiences to build contributing citizens.

Kevin Boraine is a teacher at Floors No 2/Tlhomelang High School. He has a Higher Diploma in Education at Perseverance College of Education majoring in Mathematics and (�� =��4��at farm schools in Kimberley, where he had to endure various challenges to be in class such as lack of transportation but endured for the sake of the his learners. He comes from a family of educators and views himself as being born into the teaching

profession. He had an opportunity to teach in China up to Grade 12 and this experience has moulded him as an educator. . “Teaching at farm school taught me to make the child a priority irrespective of the circum-��_��`��of every level of education I have had in my mouth, I learnt to always see stumbling block as opportunities, irrespective of what is thrown at you,” he says. His life motto is ‘To inspire before I expire’.

Jonathan De Kiewit is a teacher at Milner High and has been a teacher for 12 years. He initially studied Theology and worked for two ��!��felt he needed to be more hands on. He later went to study education, where he majored in Geography and Biblical studies at University of Potchefstroom. He believes he was born to play an important role in educating young lives. Having to conquer barriers in his life as a learner such as dyslexia; failure does not exist in his class. “I as a learner had to conquer barriers such as dyslexia and not getting

opportunities because you are not academi-cally strong. Teachers had the ability to break you down. And I said I would never allow this to happen in my class. I am there to say to them, see who you are and see what you can become.” His biggest challenge is lack of passion in the profession from other teachers. “At school I encourage colleagues to become more involved and try become a positive ��{��to be a teacher and I am passionate about it and I want my colleagues to share the same passion with the learners.”

TEACHERS CHANGE THE WORLD ONE STUDENT AT A TIME. TEACHING IS A

WORK OF HEART


Puseletso Mashishi was inspired by the plight of the black child when she became a teacher. “I am very attached to learners. When I remembered how I was brought up and the then state of black and white schools, I realised the only opportunity which I can be able to achieve my goal, is if I can become a teacher.”Her challenges motivate her to strive harder for the sake of the learners. She also ensures harmony amongst her teach-ers to ensure unity at the school so it runs well and shows

her appreciation for what they do by keeping them informed, motivated involved. She makes sure she has all the necessary information about the learners to ensure they have proper care they need to continue in the school. “I have a learner who is HIV positive and her system was running all the time, however I got her proper help to help her and now she does no longer have that problem, as such she comes to school and enjoy like any other child in the school.”

Joseph Matlala has been a principal for the past 7 years and

career was not in education, he however opted for it due to

the children to have a better education.” He leads the school with the motto: ‘The education of an African child, needs no negotiation for it to happen, because

it is a fundamental human right and the birth right of those ’noitutitsni ruo yb dellorne era taht nerdlihc

As a leader of the school, he challenges teachers to never stop studying or capacitating themselves in the curriculum and he pushes that notion forward by taking them to various workshops. “I always tell my educators, a teacher should remain a student for life. You do not stop reading or learning.”

fo lapicnirp eht sa segnellahc tseggib ’samohT rehpotsirhCSt Andrews Primary School in the Free State are keeping his learners and educators motivated, combatting increased social challenges that face society such as violence and

he has set for teachers and learners. As the principal of a combined school he has to make sure

educators and persuade them to join teaching and intern as students. Having taught at high school and now leading both primary and high school, he indicates he learnt a lot about the importance of foundational education and will continue to ensure each child receives quality education from the start of their schooling career until the end.

Winner Puseletso Tebogo Mashishi

Moitshoki Mofenyi Primary School, North West

Second PositionJoseph Matlala

Mmampatile Primary School, Limpopo

Third PositionChristopher Thomas

St Andrews Primary School, Free State

19


Noko LesoBramley Primary School, Gauteng

Donovan CleophasMasiphatisane Primary School, Western Cape

Zweledinga Abednico NdongeniJersey Farm Junior Secondary School, Eastern Cape

Lucia Thuli ShungubeMbuzini Primary School, Mpumalanga

FINALISTS

Noko Leso is the principal of multicultural Bramley Park in Gauteng. She has had to deal with issues such as bullying and absenteeism at her school as well as lack of support from parents lack of involvement in the education system which she deem as becoming a prob-

partnerships with stakeholders such as SAPS help to deal with the social issues such as bullying and rape. “We organise parent workshops where we develop them on par-enting skills when it comes to their children’s schoolwork and I keep teachers motivated

through acknowledging and appreciating their good work and reward their performance”. She has founded several activities to help improve learning at the school and programmes outside school to help with skills development. “I had to come up with unique programmes to improve learning such as swimming and to improve maths performance and literacy which encapsulate bead work, knitting, play dominos, drum maturates and I see the results as maths improved from 20% and now above 60%,” she explains. She has been in the profession for 23 years.

Donovan Cleophas is a seasoned leader and Masiphatisane Primary is the third principal-ship he has held during his 24 years in the profession.

at the Athlone College of education, a degree in history at the University of the UK, as well as a B.Ed. Honours from the University of the Western Cape and a Masters degree from Oslo University. He leads the school by the slogan – ‘if it is not good enough for my child, then it is not good

enough for anybody else’s child’. “The teachers are quite motivated; I need visionary and inspiring educators to grasp the vision of developing young leaders, one child at a time,” he says. He has initiated a programme called Coura-geous conversations about racism and cultur-al responsive teaching to create the synergy the school needs. “We need to learn about one another’s culture especially language because 80% of the school is IsiXhosa speaking learners. Teachers as well teach teachers to learn the language”.

She initially began training in nursing for a year but later changed her career to teaching. The move to a classroom was not new to her as she began teaching fellow learners while she was still attending school. As a leader, she prefers to be hands on with everything that takes place at the school and as such she keeps her school progressing by motivating them to be hands on in the school initiatives which are already in place.

“Being a leader of people, I acknowledge the diversity of the educators. I do not use the blanket approach. And when a person raises a

dismiss it; however, I listen and try to under-stand the perspective.”She drives the fundraising projects, driven by the desire to see all school learners in uniform and scouts for school uniform sponsorship from various companies to achieve this.

Zweledinga Ndongeni takes pride in his mandate to cut the chain of poverty at Jersey Farm Junior Secondary School in the Eastern Cape. Teaching in an environment which is

and substance abuse, he is able to turn things around with the support of community NGOs and Social Work students from Walter Sisulu University who help by counselling learners and teachers on various social issues“I see a school as a place of development and delivery, because I also come from a poor community but education has played a

vital role in my life. So that is what I want - to impact in their lives. So that even if they were stigmatised before; that should change. Our location should not be seen as a place of gangsters but of professionals, well skilled young people who can be marketable and create jobs,” he says. He keeps his educators engaged by develop-ing them through training and Care Support for Teaching and Learning. They get empow-ered on how to deal with various situations they may come across in class. He has been in the profession for 27 years.


Kebuang BantobetsePabalelo Primary School, Northern Cape

Siyabonga Mazibuko and Nombuso Cebekhulu Phumelelani Primary School, KwaZulu-Natal

FINALISTS

Kebuang Bantobetse has been in the teach-ing profession for 36 years and studied for a Primary Teacher’s course at Taung College of Education. She has taught in various schools where she wore hats as HOD and the team leader and a PUP member. She has been the principal of Pabalelo primary since 2003. In her quest to resolve dilapidated classrooms and weather-beaten grounds, she was joined by a united horde of willing parents who con-tributed funds for the building materials and with the help of Department of Public Works, they built the school. They also received do-

nations which helped build sport grounds, in-troduced a library, and developed other sport activities. “Most of the teachers were com-puter illiterate, currently 90% know how to use a computer and the learners from grade 1-6 know computers. We have hired the tutors who are paid by the community, to teach them. We want to show neighbouring schools that even if you do not have resources, you can make it. Education is the main thing.” She has also taught at various schools and over the years of her profession has demonstrated how partnerships can improve learning.

Principal Nombuso Cebekhulu and her deputy, Siyabonga Mazibuko have made a formidable team at Phumelelani Primary in KwaZulu-Natal. The duo realised that they could only achieve their goals through teamwork.“We have collaborated with parents to build a platform for developing skills and impart knowledge that will enable them to serve the community. Our close work with the commu-nity has made it possible to have no vandalism at the school, even in absence of the security guard, because the community are the guards themselves.” Having observed the perils of poverty amongst parents in the community, they conducted fundraising from NGOs and to collaborate with other stakeholders to raise

funds to build the school. “We tell our educa-tors that we are responsible for teaching and motivating these children because if we don’t, the cycle of poverty will always be there. If we motivate them, they may be able to change the situation at home.” They have established

helped deal with temptations to the pupils such as drug abuse, teenage pregnancy etc. and have partnered with uShaka Marine for lessons on Biodiversity. Nombuso has been there for 29 years and her passion has always been to educate a child. Siyabonga has been in the profession for 22 years, inheriting a love for teaching - his mother was a teacher and his father was a principal.

OUR TEACHERS,OUR INSPIRATION

TODAY YOU LEAD THE SCHOOL, TOMORROW YOUR STUDENTS

WILL LEAD THE WORLD

Excellence in Technology - Enhanced Teaching and Learning

(��?��=��Grade 10-12 learners at Spine Road High School in Cape Town. She started teaching eight years ago after complet-ing a BA in English Literature and Media coupled with a Post (��!��* ��Road for four years. Ismail –Le Chat is responsible for the design of all print and electronic material produced at the school and is the ad-ministrator of the school website. She is the ICT and e-learn-ing coordinator at the Mitchells Plain school and regularly hosts training workshops for teachers in ICT, the use of

e-learning equipment and professional development. “I create my own electronic resources for my subject, which are individualised. I also make use of video and audio con-tent in the classroom and electronic assessment sheets,” explains Ismail-Le Chat, who is in the process of developing an e-curriculum plan for her subject which she hopes to �^ ��!@��4��Under her guidance the school received the provincial award for Most Improved English Home Language in 2013 ��/<��a 100% pass rate.

Roshan Behareelall teaches Natural Sciences and Technol-ogy to Grade 7 learners at ML Sultan Ladysmith Primary School. He has been a teacher for 16 years and arrived at the school in 2011, having spent a number of years teaching in Gauteng. He has a Higher Education Diploma and is cur-rently completing a B ed degree majoring in Mathematics. Behareelall decided to introduce technology in to his classroom at ML Sultan when he arrived at the school as he had become accustomed to ICT-enabled teaching methods during his time in Gauteng schools. “In my class, assign-ments are done electronically and I use online labs software

to demonstrate experiments to my learners. They also have to produce Powerpoint presentations to report back on group work,” explains Behareelall. He has established a learner /teacher resource centre to assist learners and teachers with ICT skills and the growth of the centre has resulted in neighbouring schools approaching Behareelall to assist in setting up ICT networks at their premises and provide training on SA-SAMS. He has noted an improvement in learner performance since he introduced ICT in his class-room and attributes it the eagerness of learners to use the technology which they consider to be a fun way of learning.

Morné Smit and Dejon Weyers teach Grade 12 Mathematics and Information Technology to Grade 10-12 learners at Hoër Volkskool in Potchefstroom, respectively. Smit has been at the school for two years and in 2014 received the National Teaching Award for Excellence in Mathematics Teaching. Weyers started his teaching career at Hoër Volkskool six years ago and holds a Bachelors of Education. The pair has introduced an innovative technology-based system to the school which makes the lives of teachers easier. The system has implications for the school’s academic, administrative, management and communications operations. The system

forms a central collection point for resources for learners as well as teachers who can use it to do their administra-�� 62 000 downloads with learners accessing video, audio and text resources. The system is innovative in that it requires very little data from learners and the success has resulted in surrounding schools looking to implement it as well. “Our aim is to make life easier for teachers and to engage with learners in an environment where they are most comfortable. We want to establish our school as the number one school for the implementation of ICT in the province,” explains Smit.

Winner Gafieza Ismail – Le Chat

Spine Road High School, Western Cape

Second PositionRoshan Behareelall

ML Sultan Ladysmith Primary School, KwaZulu-Natal

Third PositionMorné Smit and Dejon WeyersHoër Volkskool, North West


Adil MungaleeDr Yusuf Dadoo Primary School, Gauteng

Johan van NiekerkTswellang Special Interme-diate School, Free State

Lebogang DiutlwilengRetlameleng Special School, Northern Cape

FINALISTS

Adil Mungalee teaches Natural Science and Technology to Grade 7 learners at Dr Yusuf Dadoo Primary School in Azadville. He is also the Head of Department for Natural Sciences, Social Sciences and Technology. He has been teaching for 15 years, fourteen of which have been at his current school. He has a B ed. In Curriculum Management and has a back-ground in software development. “I previously worked for a software develop-ment company and when I was retrenched it was an opportunity for me to follow my true passion and teach. I have always loved work-ing with children,” says Mungalee. He has combined his computer skills with his

love for education to implement changes to the school. He has introduced computer sys-tems to improve the school’s administration processes and communication, both inter-nally and with the wider school community. Mungalee has introduced technology to the classroom and wrote his own website which is a central access point for a range of resource material which can assist learners. He also established a Facebook page for learners, allowing them to discuss curriculum topics. He is active in extramural activities such as overseeing the school’s newsletter and in his � ��@�� time with his family outdoors.

Johan Van Niekerk teaches Mathematics, Natural Sciences, Natural Sciences and Tech-nology and Woodwork at Tswellang Special Intermediate School in Mangaung. He has been teaching at the school for three years and completed a B ed. Degree specialising in FET education. Van Niekerk comes from a family of farmers and from a young age he knew his destiny was to be an educator. “In my personal capacity I am not in to technol-ogy, but I have found that it is a useful tool to improve the lives of my learners and – con-sidering their special needs backgrounds – it

provides them with skills which they could use in the workplace once they leave school. But technology is just a tool, it is up to the teach-��4��$��^ ��"��8��8��He has created a resource trolley, using his personal laptop and a computer screen which makes it possible for his learners, who expe-rience a range of disabilities, to get to grips with technology in the classroom. He has also produced an interactive CD of resource ma-terials for his learners, which allows them to access a range of learning resources without the need for internet access at home.

Lebogang Diutlwileng teaches Grade 10-12 English and Computer Applications Technol-ogy and Grade 7 Technology at Retlameleng Special School in Kimberley. He has been a teacher for seven years and was appointed at the school in 2011. He holds a B Ed degree majoring in English and Psychology and has completed a number of information tech-��>��%�!��harboured a dream of being a teacher and eventually I decided to follow my heart and pursue my dream, “says Diutwileng. His ex-posure to psychology exposed him to special

needs education and when the opportunity arose to join his current school he jumped at the chance. He introduced ICT at the school as a way to address resources challenges. The ��:��4��!��and hearing impairments so he has to adapt his lessons to teach to their abilities. For his deaf learners his lessons are packed with visual aids and for his blind learners he makes use of special audio feedback software which allows them to easily use computers. He re-cords video and audio of lessons so learners are able to use the recordings for revision.

I AM WHO I AM BECAUSE A T


FINALISTS

Siziwe QinaUmtata High School, Eastern Cape

Duduzile Dinah DlaminiBabati Primary School, Mpumalanga

Siziwe Qina teaches Grade 8-9 Creative Arts and Grade 11 Life Orientation at Umtata High School in Mthatha. She holds a Fine Arts Hon-��(��Education and has been at her current school for nine years. She has a passion for technol-ogy and has found that introducing it in to her lessons has reduced the need for materials for visual arts, craftwork and drawing. Thanks to technology, her learners are able to do all their drawings electronically, making it ��4��8��of cellphones, smartboards and computers.

I also use a special TeamViewer application for drawings and my learners have taken to it like water. Thanks to Skype we are also able to consult if they get stuck while working on projects at home,” says Qina. In Life Orientation she does video recordings of learner performance during physical activ-ities and uses demonstration videos to make her lessons fun and interactive. Qina initiated the school choir when she arrived at Umtata High School and as the choir conductor and records choir performances, which enable learners to review their performances.

Duduzile Dinah Dlamini teaches Grade 4 and 7 English and Grade 7 Natural Sciences at Babati Primary School in Hazyview. She has been at Babati Primary School since 1990 and holds a Professional Teaching Diploma, Bachelor of Arts in Education, a B Ed degree, post graduate diploma in Public Management ��Library Management. `��:��%��school she started with the basics and hosted afternoon training sessions to equip her colleagues with basic computer skills as well. “Ours is a poor school so technology is our

friend. We can use it for research and to com-municate with surrounding schools. Thanks to the EMO application we can conduct virtu-al experiments without the need for costly supplies,” says Dlamini. She has established connections with 12 schools in the circuit as part of an ICT programme and they are able to skype and email each other to share resources and best practice. Since Dlamini im-plemented ICT at her school she has noticed a marked decrease in learner absenteeism and ��are able to communicate in a way which is comfortable for them.

Machaba MokhuduNgwanamago Primary School, Limpopo

Machaba Mokhudu teaches Grade 6 English, Social Sciences and Life Sciences at Ngwana-mago Primary School in Polokwane. She has been a teacher for 13 years, teaching across Grades R-12 during that time and has been at her current school since 2010. Her interest in ICT-enabled teaching was sparked when she attended a computer ��4��!��"(��has not looked back since. She was nominated for the ISPA Super Teacher Award in 2009 and introduced the methods learnt on the training course to her school, with great success. She

belongs to the Microsoft Educators Network and in 2015 she visited the Microsoft campus in the United States as part of a team of ed-ucators from around the world who collabo-rated to develop a learning activity suitable for the 21st century learner. “The experience allowed me to make new relationships and my learners are now able to interact with their peers from around the globe and it is exposing them to so much. We often skype with school learners abroad and the language barrier is no problem as we use tech applications to translate our interactions,” says Mokhudu.

TEACHER SAID I COULD DO IT

TEACHERS PLANT SEEDS OF KNOWLEDGE THAT GROW FOREVER

Excellence in Teaching Mathematics (GET)

Mabore Lekalakala teaches Grade 5 Mathematics at Toronto Primary School in Mankweng. She has been at the school for �/��?�� 8��8��has a B Ed. Degree, Further Diploma in Education, Senior Primary Teachers Diploma and has also completed a number ��*��&��has completed a number of courses through the Massive Open Online Courses programme as part of the Microsoft Educators Network. In 2012 she received the Microsoft Innovative Educators Award and in 2015 she was recognised as a ISPA Champion Teacher, winning ICT equipment for her

school. In April 2015 she attended a Microsoft conference in the United States of America and this experience has aided her in integrating ICT in to her classroom practice. She is a keen networker and sharer of best practice and conducts webinars for SchoolNet SA as well as face-to-face training for educators in her province. Lekalakala has also been requested by her circuit manager to conduct training for principals on creating mathematics resource materials and integrating ICT into the teaching of Mathematics. She is a chess coach at her school and has found that playing the game helps learners develop their problem solving skills.

Ashara Shookraj teaches Grade 5 Mathematics at Forderville Primary School in Estcourt. She has been a teacher at the school for 26 years and has a life-long connection to the school as she was a pupil there as well. The school is situat-ed in her hometown and for Shookraj it is a good feeling to know that her work is making a contribution to building her own community. She holds a Bachelors of Pedagogy in Primary Education and from a very young age Shookraj wanted to become a teacher. “I have always had a passion for working with young people and have the ability to motivate and inspire them.

I also provide pastoral care for many underprivileged learn-ers,” explains Shookraj. She describes herself as self-moti-��4��methods to make the subject matter as real and relatable as possible. She makes use of creative methods to get her learners interested in the subject such as mathematics games, shopping games, songs and roleplay exercises. Shookraj plays an active role in all aspects of the school and assists with the provision of daily meals and as a member of the teacher support team she is involved in guidance and counselling as well.

Sharifa Suliman is responsible for Grades 7-9 Mathematics and Grade 9 Economic and Management Science at Koster Intermediate in the town of Koster. She is also the Head of Department for Mathematics, Natural Science and Technolo-gy. She is now in her second stint at the school, having taught there from 2001-2003 before joining a school in Rustenburg. She returned to the school after 11 years when she was appointed as the HOD. She is a lifelong learner and holds a Higher Education Diploma, BSC in Mathematics and Physics, as well as a B Ed. Honours and a Masters Degree in Mathe-matics Teaching and Learning. She intends doing a doctorate

as well, focussing on how to improve Mathematics in South African classrooms. She was invited to Turkey to present her Masters thesis at the University of Istanbul’s Department of Mathematics Department in February 2015 and during that trip conducted a visit to the Mathematics Research Institute in Turkey which requested that she submit an academic jour-nal article on ‘Learners’ Understanding of Proportion: A Case Study from Grade 8 Mathematics’. Suliman has introduced technology in to her classroom and uses her personal tablet to allow learners to play mathematics games and has a laptop which she uses for computer generated simulations.

Winner Mabore Lekalakala

Toronto Primary School, Limpopo

Second PositionAshara Sookraj

Forderville Primary School, KwaZulu-Natal

Third PositionSharifa Suliman

Koster Intermediate School, Koster


Kamohelo Christian RatsiuMokwena Primary School, Free State

Kagiso KameelReitlamile Intermediate School, Northern Cape

FINALISTS

Kamohelo Christian Ratsiu is a Grade 6 and 7 Mathematics teacher at Mokwena Prima-ry School in Thanbanchu in the Free State. He holds a B Ed. Honours in Policy Studies and Governance in Education. He has been a teacher for 14 years, four of which have been at Mokwena Primary, where he is the Head of Department for Intermediate and Senior Phases. He was inspired to enter the class-room by his own Grade 8 Mathematics teacher and believes he can make a contribution to change lives in South Africa through his work. In 2004 he was named as the Best Higher

Grade Mathematics Teacher in his district and in 2005, after completing his Advanced ��&��appointed by the University of the Free State to assist teachers who were upgrading their mathematics teaching skills. From 2006 to 2008 he was involved with a local radio station analysing mathematics papers for Grades 10-12 exams and in 2007 the SA Institute of Chartered Accountants appointed Ratsiu as a project tutor. He is currently a lead teacher in his district and a Senior Marker for the Annual National Assessments.

Kagiso Kameel teaches Mathematics to Grade 8 and 9 learners at Reitlamile Intermediate School in Pampierstad. He has been at the school for four years and has a total of 15 years of experience as a teacher. He is the Head of Department for Mathematics and Science at the school and holds a B Ed. Honours in Management, Law and Systems. For Kameel, teaching is a calling and he decided to follow his destiny after he spent his ��area in Mathematics and Science. He soon realised he had the natural ability to teach

��>��“There is a misconception that Mathematics is ��)��!@��*��8�� myth and show my learners that Mathematics is not an isolated subject by demonstrating how it is used in their daily lives,” explains Kameel. To do this he has introduced technol-ogy to the learning process through the use of computer programmes such as Hey Maths. He has also initiated chess at the school to assist learners develop their thought process and has found it has had a positive impact on learner performance.

Ralph MpanganeMalavutela Secondary School, Mpumalanga

Ralph Mpangane teaches Grade 9 to 12 Mathematics at Malavutela Secondary School in Marite. He is also the Head of Department for Mathematics and Physical Sciences at the school. He has been a teacher at the school for three years and has a total of 13 years of experience as an educator. He holds a National Professional Teachers Diploma as ��Mathematics. Mpangane did not always want to be a teacher but he felt himself drawn to the ��found his calling. He considers himself as Mr Fixit because often he gets appointed to

schools in dire need of change and turns things around. “I have the ability to quickly identify where learners are struggling, determine what must be done to turn things around and act quickly to get it done,” explains Mpangane. His formula is usually to implement a back to basics approach through the implementation of extra lessons to ensure all learners have the basics of the subject covered before moving on to more complex subject matter. He also makes use of diagnostic assessments which inform interventions and hosts extra lessons in the mornings and on weekends to ensure learners are up to speed.

EDUCATION, THE NATION’


Shirley HermanDelville Park Primary School, Western Cape

Mignon JoubertDoornpoort Primary School, Gauteng

FINALISTS

Shirley Herman teaches Mathematics to Grades 4, 5 and 7 at Delville Park Primary School in Pakkalsdorp. She also teaches Grade 7 English and Creative Arts at the school. She started teaching at the school in 1986 and stayed there until 1994 and left. She then returned to Cape Town and also went back to teach at Delville Park in 2011. Herman hails from a disadvantaged commu-nity in Cape Town and it is because of one of her primary school teachers – who taught her that no matter her circumstances she could excel – that she decided to become a teacher. She holds a Junior Professional Teaching ��$��"��:� ��

��in Mathematics and is currently completing her B. Ed Honours in Mathematics. Herman aims to make her classroom a fun environment conducive to learning and feels this is necessary as there is a fear around Mathematics. “I make use of cooperative learning techniques, group work and technology as well, such as cellphones and WhatsApp, for example,” says Herman who also tries to make her lessons as practical as possible. =��8�� 4$��showing sustained improvement in the provincial systemic assessments.

Mignon Joubert teaches Grade 4 Mathemat-ics, Life Sciences and English at Doornpoort Primary School in Pretoria. She has been at �� as an educator. She has completed a Bachelors Degree in Psychology and a ��(��Phase Education. She has a passion for working with people and wants to share her knowledge with the future generation of South Africans. Under her guid-��$��

2015 Maths Olympiad at district level. Joubert is very hands on in the classroom and believes that through demonstrating her content physically and visually she is able to show her learners that mathematics can be fun. She is involved in all aspects of school life and is a netball coach, does Eisteddfod and public speaking coaching and is a member of the ��$��$�timetables, social events and uniforms. In her spare time she enjoys making art, playing netball, reading and socialising with friends.

Peggy Jonas Bakuba Junior Secondary School, Eastern Cape

Peggy Jonas teaches Grades 7 to 9 Mathematics at Bakuba Junior Second-ary School in Ntabankulu. She has been a teacher for 23 years, 19 of which have been at her current school. She hails from a deep rural area in the Eastern Cape and wanted to become a teacher as she wanted to improve education in her immediate environment. She aims to debunk the myths around Mathematics and wants to change learner attitudes to the subject , which is often ��)��!@��Her teaching methods set her apart from other Mathematics educators. In 2002 she

spent a month at the University of Montana Western for a Mathematics, Science and Technology training programme, which saw her exposed to best practice in Mathematics teaching. “That experience has had an incred-ible impact on my teaching. It has assisted me in making all my lessons practical and ��?��&��to the classroom as I wish to demonstrate to my learners that Mathematics is all around them,” explains Jonas, who is a lead teacher in her cluster. She coaches athletics and softball at her school and as the music coordinator she is responsible for the school choir.

’S NUMBER ONE PRIORITY

GREAT TEACHERS INSPIRE TOMORROW’S HERO’S

Excellence in Teaching Natural Science (GET)

Sphiwe Johannes Sibanyoni has been an educator for four years and currently teaches Natural Sciences and Physical Sciences at Iketsetseng Comprehensive Secondary School in Sasolburg. He holds a BSC in Microbiology from the Univer-��(��specialising in FET Phase Science. He decided to pursue a career in education as he wanted to share his knowledge and love for science with young people. It was through his high school physical science teacher’s ��{��*�!��!@�� 4��

learners. He makes use of a variety of teaching strategies to appeal to the varying levels of learner ability and he consis-tently achieves a pass rate above 90%. He is a lead teacher for Natural Science in the Fezile Dabi district and relishes the opportunity assist his fellow educators through training workshops. Sibanyoni participates in an internet broad-cast project which allows him to make use of videos and to stream live science demonstrations directly to his classroom. Outside of the classroom he is involved in the school’s debating society, is an athletics coach and also oversees the school library.

Letsoalo Koena is a Grade 7 Natural Sciences teacher at Maune Primary School in Polokwane, where she also teaches Grade 6 Natural Science and Technology and Grade 4 En-glish First Additional Language. She has been at the school for two years – where she is also the Head of Department - and previously taught at a secondary school for 22 years. She has completed a BA degree majoring in Psychology and Education, a B Ed. Honours in Natural Sciences and in Curriculum Studies. She decided to make the shift to a primary school as she was always frustrated that learners

who arrived at high school did not quite grasp the basics of ��!@��8��4��!��at a lower grade. At the end of every term she does a results analysis which informs her intervention programme, tailored to meet the requirements of each learner. When she arrived at Maune she immediately established a science club to encourage an interest in science discovery amongst her learners. She is a Natural Sciences coordinator for her circuit and assists teachers with training in setting question papers on the subject.

Micalla Lucas teaches Natural Science and Technology to Grade 5 and 6 learners at Sol Plaatje Primary School ��&��8��*��!��/��started there immediately after completing her studies. She holds a Diploma in Senior Primary Education and has also �� -tion Planning and Administration. For Lucas, teaching was a calling and she is passionate about the job. She aims to inspire her learners to curious ��4��2014 her learners won the National Astroquiz competition

?��"��`��/<��learners also had the opportunity to participate in a live radio interview with an astronaut aboard the International Space Station. Through this process the school has linked up with a school in Italy, which Lucas and her learners will visit in 2016. She hosts a Science club for learners every Monday after school allowing them extra time to do experiments, while growing their interest in the subject. Her learners regularly enter science competitions and expos and she hopes this exposure will lead to them pursuing careers in the ��

Winner Sphiwe Johannes Sibanyoni

Iketsetseng Comprehensive Secondary School, Free State

Second PositionLetsoalo Koena

Maune Primary School, Limpopo

Third PositionMicalla Lucas

Sol Plaatje Primary School, North West


Themba NcubeLodirile Secondary School, Gauteng

Babalwa HlakuwaMzomhle High School, Eastern Cape

Kerstin OlivierGeorge South Primary School, Western Cape

FINALISTS

Themba Ncube teaches Grade 8 and 9 Natural Sciences and Grade 12 Physical Sciences at Lodirile Secondary School in Swaneville on Gauteng’s West Rand. He has been teaching since 2004 and has been at his current school since 2007. He holds a Senior Teachers Diploma in Science and Mathematics and has �� -tion in Mathematics and Science. Growing up he was surrounded by academics and was inspired to become a teacher by his father who was a school principal. Ncube epit-omises the next generation of teachers and keeps abreast with the latest trends in science teaching. For him his work as a teacher goes

beyond the classroom as he strives to lead by �^�� {��and colleagues. He is a lead teacher in his district and in 2014 he had the opportunity to visit the United States as part of a teacher excellence programme for six months. In 2013 he attended the Einstein International Confer-ence for Science Teachers in Canada. He has been a senior marker in the province for the �� marker for Gauteng, the youngest ever in the province. Under his guidance the school has done away with the traditional matric dance and instead does fundraising for Higher Edu-cation placement for learners instead.

Babalwa Hlakuwa teaches Grade 9 Mathemat-ics and Science at Mzomhle High School in East London. She started teaching in 1989 and has been at the school since 2000. She holds a Senior Teachers Diploma in Mathematics and Physical Science, a Further Diploma in Education in Mathematics and has two out-standing modules on her BSC Degree. Most of Hlakuwa’s family members are teachers so it was a natural progression for her to also enter the classroom. “From a young age I knew I wanted to be a teacher. However, I was always very quiet and shy so nobody gave me

a chance but I still enjoy my work as much as I ��$��Hlakuwa. She initially taught Grade 12 Physical Sciences but soon realised that her learners did not have the basics of the subject so she elected to teach at the lower grades to ensure that learners understood the basics of the ��!@��"��Science in her district she facilitates teacher training workshops and she has established science clubs for her learners to get to grips with the subject.

Kerstin Olivier teaches Grade 6 and 7 Natural Sciences at George South Primary School in George. She has been at the school for nine years and has 15 years experience as an educator. She comes from a family of teach-ers and followed in her mother’s footsteps when she entered the classroom. She holds a BA degree specialising in Education and has completed her Honours, specialising in Learn-ing Disabilities. Olivier previously taught at high school and consistently achieved 100% pass rates and cites the challenge of helping learners who struggle with the subject as a

motivating factor. To get learners interested in the subject she hosts Crazy Scientist Days at school where learners dress up like scientists and get the opportunity to do a range of ex-periments. She is a CAPS lead teacher for her district which allows her to share best practice and share strategies and teaching methods with her colleagues as well as exchange exam papers and learning materials. At her school Olivier also coordinates the Toastmasters club and in her spare time she enjoys outdoor activities such as hiking and spending time at the beach.

TEACHERS PLANT SEEDS OF KNO


Ntokoza Lorraine SitholeIsiqophamithi Primary School, KwaZulu-Natal

Daniel TshipinyaneTshireleco High School, Northern Cape

Khabo MkhatshwaTsandzanani Primary School, Mpumalanga

FINALISTS

Daniel Tshipinyane teaches Grade 9 Natural Sciences and Grade 10-12 Physical Sciences at Tshirileco High School in Kimberly. He is acting Head of Department of Mathematics and Science at the school, where he has been teaching for 18 months. He started teaching in 2002 and holds a BSC degree in Applied Mathematics and Physics as well as a High-er Education Diploma in Chemistry, Physics and Mathematics. He is driven by his passion for teaching and imparting his knowledge to young people. In 2002 he received the System

Diploma Award for the Best Mathematics and Science teaching. He has also joined up with a group of mathematics and science teachers to assist learners from various schools to ex-cel in these gateway subjects. Tshipinyane has implemented extra lessons at school for those who are struggling with the subject and places great emphasis on practical work. ��4��*��for learners in his area and is part of a pro-��4��^��twice a week.

Ntokoza Lorraine Sithole teaches Natural Science and Technology to Grade 6 learners at Isiqophamithi Primary School in Ladysmith. *��!��has been teaching for 19 years. She has com-pleted her Masters in Education Management and also holds a Senior Professional Teachers Diploma. Sithole believes she was born to be an educator. Her primary school teachers were her role models as a young girl and she aims to have ��4�� through her class. She enters her learners into the Annual Eskom Science Expo every year and they regularly receive awards for

their entries. She is a cluster coordinator for Natural Science and Technology and is the circuit coordinator for the Science Expo. “My teaching methods set me apart. I integrate ��4��4��-ent intellectual abilities of my learners,” says Sithole. She has established links with surrounding high schools to ensure that her learners are up to speed when they leave her school and to ensure they attend high schools with sci-ence programmes where they can reach their true potential. Outside of the classroom she is a netball coach and is involved in various church projects in her spare time.

Khabo Mkhatshwa teaches Natural Science and English First Additional Language to Grade 7 learners at Tsandzanani Primary School in Matsulu. She has been a teach-er for 27 years and has been at the school since 2001. Initially, Mkhatshwa wanted to be a nurse but after spending one day at a hospital during her induction she realised the career was not for her and decided to switch to teaching instead. She has a Professional %��:� ��$��Education in Natural Sciences, an Advanced �� "��Science and Technology and a B Ed. Honours in Education Law, Management and Policies.

She considers herself to be a lifelong learn-er and feels it is important for a teacher to stay abreast of developments in their subject. “Science is no longer just a subject to me; it is part of my life. When I wake up in the morning and switch on the light, my mind immediately starts thinking about how electricity works,” explains Mkhatshwa. She encourages her learners to enter Science competitions and in 2011 two of them came ��"��*��Olympiad. In 2014 some of her learners won �� *��developed a Maths and Science club at the school to pique their interest in the subject.

OWLEDGE THAT GROW FOREVER

THE ROLE OF THE TEACHER REMAINS THE HIGHEST CALLING

OF A FREE PEOPLE


Coenrad Venter has been the principal of Witteberg High School in Bethlehem for four years. He has been teaching since 1989 and has been a school principal for the past 17 years. He was encouraged to pursue a career in the classroom by a group of educators at his high school who recognised his natural ability to teach and went as far as � ��his destiny. In 2000 he travelled to the United Kingdom when the school he was leading was recognised as South Africa’s Most Spe-cial School and in 2012 he was invited to Germany to meet with two federal education ministers to deliberate on educa-

tion matters. His passion and leadership set him apart and he is well known in the province for the work he has done. During his time at Witteberg the school has established itself as the number 1 academic school in its district and it is con-sistently amongst the Top 10 best performing schools in the province. To achieve this he has instituted a programme of afternoon classes and introduced reading classes and study method sessions to equip all learners with the necessary tools for success. Venter knows every one of his 700 learn-ers by name and has developed a strong extracurricular programme to expose learners to alternatives to the poverty ��4��

Themba Mthethwa is the principal at Panorama Combined School in Newcastle, having started teaching in 1990, where he teaches Life Skills to Grade 9 learners. He considers ��!��)��profession as a young man when he was often called upon to assist his fellow learners with their school work and real-ised the immense joy that came along with helping others. He holds a Diploma in Education, a BA degree and intends to complete his Honours in education. He has had a profound �4��$�with many of them seeking out his school for their own

children to ensure they too receive his guidance. Mthethwa values the opportunity to mentor young teachers and en-sures that all new teachers are paired with a senior teacher to instil them with the spirit of professional ethics and under his leadership the school has introduced subject advisory services to ensure all teachers can deliver the curriculum ��He has positioned the school at the centre of the commu-nity and actively participates in community structures such as community police forums and intervention programmes targeting social ills.

Charles Marthinusssen started teaching at Atlantis Sec-ondary School in Atlantis 30 years ago and has been the principal at the school for the past 19 years. He holds a BA Degree and in his time at the school he has taught all ��!@��4��$��^�� =��Economics and Needlework. Marthinussen presides over a school with more than 1600 learners and 47 educators and �� =�� !��where learners are provided with grade relevant information to ensure they are up to speed with the requirements for that � ��%��

mentoring and guidance to learners and to expose them to advocacy programmes around social and academic issues. He has overseen the establishment of seven computer labs at the school and a master mathematics centre, which pro-vides specialised support for Mathematics, Maths Literacy and Physical Sciences. To bolster learner performance he has extended the school timetable to ensure that every learner goes through the centre twice a week. The result is an improvement in performance assessments as evident in the schools’ results at the Department of Basic Education’s Annual National Assessment.

Winner Coenrad Venter

Witteberg High School, Bethlehem

Second PositionThemba Mthethwa

Panorama Combined School, KwaZulu-Natal

Third PositionCharles Marthinussen

Atlantis Secondary School, Western Cape

Fritz SteenkampKuilsville High School, Danielskuil

Fritz Steenkamp is the principal at Kuilsville High School in Daniëlskuil in the Northern Cape. He has been at the school for 19 years �� career at the same primary school he at-tended as a young boy. He holds an honours degree in education and is currently com-pleting his Honours in Theology. He considers it his calling to work with young people and inspire them to reach their full potential. He is an integral member of the school community, serving on the disciplinary committee and as a sports organiser he is responsible for organ-ising sports tournaments, athletics meets and

sports team management. Steenkamp con-siders his appointment as school principal at the age of 35 as a highlight in his career and nothing gives him more joy than seeing his learners grow in to their potential and pros-per. Under Fritz’s leadership the school has recorded a matric pass rate above 70% for �� =��!��-tian faith and is active in community develop-ment, serving as a member of the Municipality Audit Committee and also takes part in the local youth development structures. In 2016 he will welcome four past pupils to Kuilsville as ��?>��


Malusi Koltana Mzomhle High School, Eastern Cape

Joshua Mpete LG Holele Secondary School, Gauteng

FINALISTS

Malusi Koltana has been the principal at Mzomhle High School in East London since January 2015. He completed his BA in Edu-cation at Vista University in 1997, followed by a Higher Diploma in Education in 1998. He decided to pursue a career in education to make a contribution to and change the lives of young people. Koltana started teaching at the same primary school he attended as a young boy and cred-its his primary school principal as the inspi-ration for entering the classroom. Despite his demanding schedule as the school principal

he cannot stay away from the classroom and he still teaches Grade 11 English and History. To bolster the professional development of ��4$��@�� -rate partners to conduct human relations and leadership workshops for the educators at Mzomhle High School and he believes in allowing his team the space to take the lead with projects while he provides guidance and support. He draws his strength from his Christian faith and aims to be approachable to both learners and educators as he works hard to create people of excellence and integrity.

Joshua Mpete started teaching in 1985 and has been the principal at LG Holele Secondary School for six years. He holds a Masters De-gree in Mathematics Education, an Honours in Management and a Further Diploma in Educa-tion Management and Systems. He teaches Mathematics and Life Orientation to Grades 8 and 10 learners at the Garankuwa school. His love for children and a desire to see them develop into responsible adults was the driving force behind his decision to become a teacher. “A teacher has the ability to change a community from being ignorant and naïve and I have demonstrated this by turning my school

around,” says Mpete. Under his leadership the Grade 12 pass rate has increased from 43% to 100% in 2014. To do this he implemented a back-to-basics academic programme which roped in psychologists from the local univer-sity to assist the learners in developing proper study skills and implemented mandatory study camps. He has also expanded his net-work beyond South Africa, collaborating with Chester University in the United Kingdom on a number of education programmes. Mpete’s life revolves around education but when he has a free time he practices his life-long hobby - playing the classical guitar.

Khathutshelo BadugelaSinthumule Secondary School, Limpopo

Khathutshelo Badugela has been the princi-pal of Sinthumule Secondary School in Louis Trichardt since 2007. He started teaching in 1989 and arrived at his current school in 2003, where he continues to teach Geography to Grade 10 learners. He currently holds a BA degree, BA Honours, B ed Honours, a Univer-��:� ��>��-tions in teaching methods. He also intends doing a Masters Degree in Public Leadership in 2016. While growing up it was always Baduge-la’s dream to help others be successful and he decided that teaching was the best way to touch the hearts and souls of young peo-

ple. The father of four believes teaching is a calling as educators have an important role to play in nation building and have to contribute to building their communities. His wife, mother and father are all teachers and he considers the profession to be embedded in his spirit. He has consistently produced excellent Grade 12 results at his school and in 2009 he was recognised as the best principal in his circuit. Badugela hopes to one day establish an edu-cation foundation which will provide learners from the villages in his circuit with guidance and mentoring to ensure they can achieve their full potential.

Fritz SteenkampKuilsville High School, Northern Cape


Thapelo LesoleMamoratwa Combined School, North West

FINALISTS

Thapelo Lesole is the principal at Mamorat-wa Combined School in Maquassie Hills. He has been an educator since 1997 and was appointed to his current position in 2011. He holds a University Diploma in Second-��>��Management and Leadership. He currently teaches Grade 12 Life Sciences and has con-sistently achieved a 100% Grade 12 pass rate in the subject since arriving at Mamoratwa Combined School. He is driven by his pas-sion to help people and his work allows him to positivly impact on the lives of his learn-ers, parents and the school community as

a whole. He is a seasoned basketball coach and is a former SA Under-19 national team coach. Since his appointment as principal he has increased the Grade 12 pass rate at the school from 54% to 100% in 2014 through the introduction of a series of interventions. He organises regular study camps for learners and Saturday classes to ensure learners are well prepared for exams. Lesole believes in leading by example and provides mentoring and guidance to his educators to ensure they feel a sense of ownership and he has turned his attention to increasing parent participation by hosting regular meetings for parents.

GOOD TEACHERS LIGHT THE WAY FOR OTHERS

OUR GREATEST NATURAL RESOURCE IS THE MINDS OF OUR CHILDREN


Lindiwe Gumede has been a Grade R teacher at Vondlo ��*�� *��Ed degree specialising in the Foundation Phase but initial-�� >��#��&��completed N6 Financial Management but my aunts are all teachers and I always secretly wanted to follow their exam-ple,” explains Gumede, who spends most of her free time at the gym. “Eventually I had to follow my heart and complet-��!��rough, I love it.” To adapt to the challenges of the classroom,

Gumede sought advice and guidance from more experienced �� the profession. Gumede believes preparation is the key to success in the classroom so she spends every Friday after-noon preparing her classroom space and resources for the following week’s activities, ensuring that learning can start ��&��She is the Soul Buddies coordinator at Vondlo Primary School and established the school’s vegetable garden which is used to provide learners with nutritious meals.

Mandisa Mfuya is a Grade R teacher at DiDi Senior Primary School in Bizana, a position she has held since 2010. She is responsible for teaching 120 learners split in to two classes and teaches in English from Grade R. Her interest in teaching �� 8��!��suitable school for her son in her area. *��>��and was in the process of opening a day-care centre when she heard of the open position at Didi Senior Primary School and applied.

She enjoys the learners’ curiosity and every day is an opportunity for her to learn from them. “Demonstration is a big part of my teaching and to save costs I use a lot of recycled material to make my classroom resources. Fantasy play is another big part of our day and my learners love drama and singing,” says Mfuya. She is the school choir mistress and her charges are now the number one choir in the school district. She enjoys reading motivational books in her spare time and is studying towards ��>��

Madelein Burns has been a teacher at Assjassies Pre-Primary *�� an educator and she holds a B Ed specialising in Foundation Phase Education. She believes she was drawn to the profession by God and to teaching Grade R in particular as she is very short and with the young learners always guaranteed to be the tallest person in class. #��8��!��)��persistent and do what needs to be done to understand my

learners and this guides how I approach them. %��4��!��individuals,” says Burns. “My mission is to produce learners who think and can make the best decision. At the same time this is the last year they are able to play so we have lots of fun in my class.” When Burns is not busy with school activities she enjoys spending time with her family and playing sports, particular-ly volleyball. She is also a keen reader, with a penchant for books dealing with education and young people.

Winner Lindiwe Gumede

Vondlo Primary School, KwaZulu-Natal

Second PositionMandisa Mfuywa

DiDi Senior Primary School, Eastern Cape

Third PositionMadelein Burns

Asjassies Pre-Primary School, North West

Makgokolotso MoremoholoBoikemisetso Primary School, Free State

Makgokolotso Moremoholo teaches Grade R at Boikemisetso Primary School in Kroonstad. She has been at the school for three years ��?�� -cator. She holds a Level 4 Early Childhood :�� >��completing a Diploma in Grade R education at the University of the North West. “I have found my love in ECD, even though working with children is not easy. I enjoy the challenge ��@��8��could eventually change the learners’ lives and their circumstances,” says Moremoholo.

To expose her learners to the world beyond their immediate environment she arranges regular excursions to parks, the local police ��$��$� �!��!�� )��%�� build self-esteem amongst her learners at the beginning of the year she allows them to ar-range the classroom, creating a comfort zone which the learners can take ownership of. She �� 4�committee, secretary of the school’s tours and functions committee, a netball coach and assistant coach of the school’s netball team.


Maria PhiriPumpkin Patch Pre-School, Mpumalanga

FINALISTS

Maria Phiri is a Grade R teacher at the Pump-kin Patch Pre-School, which is attached to Victory Park Primary School in White River. She has been at the school for 22 years, having started there as a volunteer in 1993. Over the years she has completed a number of training courses in early learning and has most recently completed her Level 4 >�� "��:� ��in Early Childhood Development. `��@�� 8��$��school was located in the community hall, !��$��)��$��

premises of Victory Park over the years. The school caters to 120 learners spread across three classes and through the dedication of Phiri and her colleagues, has continued to grow from strength to strength.For Phiri there is no greater joy than seeing her young charges develop to their full potential. “I love little kids very much and in my classroom we have the space to learn through play, dance and music. It is a very fun environment,” says Phiri, who has developed crafty methods to gather resources for her classroom, which includes recycling and sourcing donations from parents.

Liezel OchleyLaerskool Hartswater, Northern Cape

Liezel Ochley started teaching Grade 2 learners at Laerskool Hartswater in Hartswa-ter eight years ago and established the Grade R class at the school in 2010. She holds a National Professional Diploma in Education ��>��Development. She is an artistic person by nature and prefers teaching her learners with paint and clay than with chalk and a black-!��!��!��with teaching while helping a friend who was studying towards her teaching degree with her assignments and decided to change her career path. “I was intrigued by the possibil-

��4��!�� are so full of energy and very eager to please. It is also great that they are so excited to come to school every day,” says Ochley. Her classroom is a fun environment and she will often dress up according to the theme being covered in class and as a special treat she will bring her pet rabbits, dogs, snakes and chickens to school for her charges to learn more about the animals. She paints all her own classroom posters and to deal with the shortage of resources can often be found at the local scrapyard sourcing interesting items to use in the learning process.

TEACHING IS A W


Bettie RoelofseDe La Bat School for the Deaf, Western Cape

Elsabe VoslooNigel Primary School, Gauteng

FINALISTS

Bettie Roelofse has been a teacher for 31 years and a Grade R educator at De La Bat School for the Deaf in Worcester for 30 years. She completed a Professional Teachers Diplomat at the now-defunct Wellington Teachers college and has since completed a number of courses to equip her with the skills required for her role at the school. Roelofse says teaching always felt like the natural career path for her, although she didn’t initially plan to work at a school cater-

ing for Learners with Special Education Needs. “It just worked out that way but I wouldn’t want ��#��learners every little bit of progress is like summiting a mountain and it is a great privilege for me to be involved in that in some small way,” explains Roelofse. At the age of 60 Roelofse joined the Worcester Athletics Club and is now a keen runner. She has gone on to use her running as a fundraising tool, raising R16000 for the pre-school.

Elsabe Vosloo has been a teacher for 32 years and has been at Nigel Primary School ��<<��*��>��Grade R teaching - but she very nearly embarked on a career path outside of the classroom. “At school all my friends were planning to be teachers but I was dead set against the idea. I studied to be a dental nurse, married and had children and eventually decided I had to do something where I could take my son along with me and the rest is history,” says Vosloo.

She started helping out at a nursery school and when the teaching bug bit she moved on to a primary school. For Vosloo it is a daily highlight to see her learners achieve developmental milestones and reach their full potential before moving on to Grade 1. She is very organised and up to date with the curriculum and feels her strength is her ability to understand each learner individually. While high learner numbers are a challenge, she manages her classroom with careful planning and a programme that focuses on the strengths of each learner.

Daphney ThokaModimolle Primary School, Limpopo

Daphney Thoka has been a Grade R teacher at Modimolle Primary School in Modimolle since 2013 and started teaching in the Foundation Phase in 2008. She holds a B Ed. Degree, spe-cialising in Early Childhood Development. She enjoys the challenge which comes with being a Grade R teacher as it provides her with the �� foundation which will set the tone for the rest of their school careers. Thoka has limited classroom space and has had to introduce innovative techniques to make the most of what is available to her. “We have limited space and resources are always a challenge, so I rotate my learners around the

various learning areas I have established in the classroom. My learners learn best through play so the classroom is a hive of activity and there is always singing,” says Thoka, who prepares her class at the end of every day to ensure learners receive her undivided attention when school starts the following day. The learners in Thoka’s class come from varied socio-economic backgrounds and as a member of the school’s safety committee she plays a vital role in identifying learners with problems and ensuring they get the correct support from relevant organisations and government departments.

WORK OF HEART

EDUCATION IS A BETTER SAFEGUARD OF LIBERTY THAN A STANDING ARMY

Excellence In Special Needs and Inclusive Teaching

Sharon Townsend is a specialised education teacher, dealing with severely physically and mentally disabled learners at Merryvale School for Specialised Education in Port Eliza-beth. She has been at the school for 20 years and previously worked in mainstream education for 10 years. She holds a Doctorate in Special Needs Education along and has a Mas-��%�� was in an impoverished area where she encountered learners with a range of barriers to learning. Through this experience she realised that general teacher training did not equip edu-cators with the skills required for inclusive education and the tools to deal with learners with diverse educational needs.

“This sparked my interest in special needs education. ��8��!��4�� >��>�� 8��$��^ ��Townsend. She is also involved in special needs training for teachers at the Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University and is proud that by equipping teachers with the tools to assist learners with special needs, she is also assisting learners beyond her classroom. Her learners take part in soccer, rugby, cricket, netball, choral music and she has established a community service programme which sees them visiting old age homes in the area.

Chrisna Wessels is a special needs teacher at GelukswaartsFarm School in Wepener. The school has 200 learners and it is one of the only schools in the province which accommo-dates learners with physical and mental disabilities as well as autistic learners. Wessels is responsible for a class of 10 learners with various disabilities. She has been at the school for 10 years and previously spent 18 months working in special needs education in the United Kingdom. She decided to join the school as she realised that learners in the area did not have the same opportunities as

their counterparts in urban areas and felt she would be able to make a bigger impact as an educator at the farm school. Wessels also considers it her duty to educate learners, parents and the wider community about disabilities so that the stigma around the matter can be removed. “I am at a farm school so as a teacher you do everything. I assist with athletics, netball, indigenous games and administrative duties,” says Wessels. She says the school’s location in a rural area plays a role in creating a serene environment suitable for learning and teaching.

Elsie Shabangue teaches Grade 7 Mathematics at Bukhosibetfu Inclusive School in Nkomasi. She has been a ��*��Degree and is currently completing her Honours in Education Psychology. Her interest in special needs education was sparked when her previous school introduced a pilot programme for Learners with Special Education Needs. “My aim is to eliminate barriers to learning for the learners in my class. We are the only inclusive school in the area so we are stretched for resources but I try to make my lessons

relevant to the needs of each of my learners,” says Shabangu. She is a football coach and her school team has been the Provincial LSEN champions since 2013. To keep learners away from gangsterism as the school services an underprivileged community, Shabangu has initiated a number of social clubs at the school and she is involved with drama, rugby and netball. She has also established a breakfast programme at the school and relies on the local supermarkets to provide supplies to ensure learners are fed on a daily basis.

Winner Dr Sharon Townsend

Merryvale School for Specialised Education, Eastern Cape

Second PositionChrisna Wessels

Gelukwaarts Farm School, Free State

Third PositionElsie Shabangu

Bukhosibetfu Inclusive School, Mpumalanga

Excellence In Special Needs and Inclusive Teaching

Boitumelo Booi, Thapelo Matlhaba, Nombulelo Bokala and Sybil FredericksRetlameleng Special School, Northern Cape

Nkotsana Kganyago Setotolwane LSEN Secondary School, Limpopo

FINALISTS

Boitumelo Booi, Thapelo Matlhaba, Nombulelo Bokala, and Sybil Fredericks have been teaching together at Retlameleng Special School in Kimberly for three years. The school caters for learners who are physically disabled, blind, partially sight-ed, deaf and hard of hearing. The school also accommodates learners with cognitive disabilities. Fredericks has been at the school for six years. Before join-ing the school, Matlhaba, Bokala and Booi had no experience working with learners with Special Education Needs but today they couldn’t picture themselves working anywhere else. “It ��)��

��4�� the classroom but we knew we had to learn signing as well,” explains Booi. To overcome this challenge the group attended Grade R sign classes to get the basics of signing and complet-ed a sign language course with the University of the Witwa-tersrand, which enabled them to engage with the curriculum ��4��The group is passionate about boosting the self-esteem of their learners and are involved in various extra-mural activities at the school.

Nkotsana Kganyago teaches Grade 10 and 12 Geography and Grade 8 Social Science at Setotolwane LSEN Secondary School in Lim-popo. He has been at the school, which caters ��!��$��=��has a background in mainstream education and after 17 years he sought a new challenge at a school for Learners with Special Educa-tion Needs. To learn signing he attended internal train-��4��!��^��school classes. When he arrived at the school

there was a lot of ill-discipline and he had to develop a learner code of conduct. He is the policy development coordinator at the school and is responsible for organising educational tours which tie in to the school curriculum. Kganyago is also the school hostel supervisor and the sports organiser “At a school like ours it is important to get parents on side. Many of them live far from the school so I have devel-oped a newsletter which allows them to keep abreast on what is happening at school, even if they are unable to visit,” explains Kganyago.

Mpho JassonChristiana School for the Blind, North West

Mpho Jasson teaches Setswana Home Language at Christiana School for the Blind in Christiana. She has been at the school for �� <��mainstream educator. She has a B Ed. Honours, Higher Diploma in Special Education and a University Diploma in Education. She was inspired to join the profession by an uncle who was a teacher and from a young age she knew she would enter the classroom as she often spent time at high school tutor-ing her classmates. “Because I had complet-

ed a Higher Diploma in Special Education I learnt braille and sign language and wanted to put these skills to use, so I decided to join a special needs school,” says Jasson. She is �� renowned goal ball coach and team manager. Jasson also conducts the school choir and is responsible for composing new songs for the choir to perform. To expose her learners to mainstream schools she enters the school into district wide oral and athletics competi-tions. She is also a hostel supervisor.

I AM WHO I AM BECAUSE A T

Excellence In Special Needs Education

Michelle van ZylWest Rand School, Gauteng

Phakamani Success MtshaliKwaMame Full Service Primary School, KwaZulu-Natal

FINALISTS

Michelle van Zyl is responsible for the Autism class at the West Rand School in Krugersdorp. Her class consists of learners aged 4-12 years old with varying levels of autism and she uses an adapted curriculum which is suitable to each learner’s level of autism. She is also the Head of Department for the Junior Special Classes where she is responsible for learners up to the age of 14. The school caters for learners with physical impairments, Down Syndrome and severe

’sraey 02 sah lyZ naV .sredrosid lautcelletniexperience as an educator and has been at the West Rand School for 18 years, six of

which have been with the Autism class. “I took a break from teaching after my daughter was born and at the time I didn’t want to go back to the classroom. I agreed to help out at the school for two weeks and I have been there ever since,” explains Van Zyl.

teacher and she was responsible for screening all learners at the school. During that time she had to turn away so many learners with Autism that she proposed that the school establish an Autism unit, which

learners in each.

Phakamani Success Mtshali teaches Grade 7 Mathematics and English at KwaMame Full Service Primary School in Mahlabathini. He joined the school in 2010 and started his

educator and when he completed his studies he made it his mission to join a school for learners with special education needs. He cur-rently holds a B Ed. Degree and has complet-

Training. “I am keen to explore new things and when I heard about the challenges of special needs education I was keen to get involved. I enjoy it

very much and it gives me a chance to con-nect with my learners beyond the classroom,” says Mtshali. The school caters for learners with moderate barriers to learning, including physical and intellectual disabilities, cerebral

In 2013 the school was selected as the Best Full Service School in the province. Mtshali is a football and volleyball coach and is involved with indigenous games as well. Outside of the classroom he is a provincial facilitator for the Valued Citizens Initiative which trains educa-tors and school management teams on the values in education and leadership.

Conlynn ClaasenLigstraal School for LSEN Eastern Cape

Ligstraal School for LSEN, Eastern CapeConlynn Claasen is responsible for the Autism unit at Ligstraal Special School in Paarl. She has been at the school for three years and

years in total. Her unit at Ligstraal currently has eight learners aged 5 to 13, with cognitive levels of 5 to 8 month olds. She was inspired to enter the profession by her father, who is also a special needs teacher and completed a Bachelors of Education

“Growing up I also had an aunt who was paralysed and nobody knew how to engage

with her. I always wanted to get to her inner voice and this has also driven me to work in

voice of my learners,” explains Claasen. During her time at the school Claasen noticed that parents appeared very isolated and ill-equipped to deal with the demands of raising a child with special needs and established a support group for them. The group provides them with moral support and training on how to support autistic children.

her school, where she is the coordinator for the hockey team.

TEACHER SAID I COULD DO IT

ONLY THE EDUCATED ARE TRULY FREE

Kha Ri GudeVolunteer Educator

Baphuth Mpofu joined Kha Ri Gude in 2011. His journey of working with the elderly started in church where he was responsible for teaching disadvantaged community elders. “There was a soup kitchen in the church for those who are disadvantaged and the pastor noticed that some were not literate so he asked me to teach them. When I went to a workshop at Klerksdorp, I got introduced to Kha Ri Gude, �� !��books,” he explains.

Some of the challenges he deals with are of complaints from his students about itchy and teary eyes when they read for extended periods and poor attendance due to chronic medical conditions. However the strong relationships he has built with them has made it easy for them to come to class and the exercises and beading classes he hosts, have also improved the bond with students. “I feel overwhelmed. When I realise how big is the area where I come and looking at how far I have made it. I realise it is huge step and I am very happy about it.”

After recognised high levels of illiteracy in her community amongst elders and researching elderly education, Olivia came across Kha Ri Gude and joined the programme on her drive to improve combat illiteracy. Over time she has developed strong relationships with her classes. She now has the support she needs through her re-lationships with social workers and other stakeholders in the community to help with any related matter that the elders may come across. Through the stipend she receives from Kha Ri Gude, she enrolled to study towards a Practitioner in Early Child De-

�� >��"�*��=��-active and she gives them a platform to speak about what is on their mind so that when the lessons start, they are able to concentrate. “Elders need a lot of patience. You have to come up with a strategy for them to concentrate and you need to listen to them and they will listen to you,” she explains. She joined Kha Ri Gude in 2014 and feels very blessed to be nominated for the National Teaching Awards, because she always wanted to do things for the community.

Confronted with illiteracy amongst elders on a nearby farm, Philadelphia was driven to join Kha Ri Gude in 2011 to make a ��4��She does not only teach literacy and numeracy in her class. She incorporates the interests of those who attend her lessons to improve the learning experience. “Some indicate that they want to read the bible so we read it and some are interested in baking and we bring recipes and demonstrate

how to bake. I also use my own cell phone to teach them how to use it and allow them to learn with it and teach each other.” “I am so proud to be nominated. When you are not doing this for yourself, but for the community and for God, when somebody is getting hurt and you feel that pain. Just know God will be there to lead you,” she says.

Winner Innocent Baphuti MpofuKlerksdorp, North West

Third PositionPhiladelphia Berend

Barkly West, Northern Cape

Second PositionOlivia Mapula NgopaneMaselapata, Limpopo

Lukhele NkosanaBethleham, Fee State

Caroline PietersonEvaton, Gauteng

FINALISTS

Lukhele Nkosana joined Kha Ri Gude in 2015

He was inspired to help out after recognising how important it was to ensure adults were in-dependent in his area and pursued his passion for teaching by joining the programme. Some of the challenges he faces include

ot ytilibani ’stneduts sih dna ecnadnetta roopkeep time. He however, tackles these prob-lems head on and motivates his classes by

they are receiving and treating each individual with respect. Besides hosting classes, Lukhele holds exercise classes and encourages his students to get involved with community proj-ects to remain active. “I feel so inspired to be nominated at the National Teaching Awards,

Ri Gude teaches me a lot in terms of the chal-lenges that I come across. I feel very happy to be nominated,” he says.

Caroline joined Kha Ri Gude in 2010 and show her appreciation for the opportunities her elders had fought for by giving them the op-portunity learn how to read and write. “When I met a person who introduced me to my co-ordinator, I said let me help people and not point and say I can write, they cannot write. They can write, through my help”She has learnt that even though elders cannot read and write, they know how to do things with their own hands such as beading, which

she do with them outside classroom and it

learnt that even though elders lack the knowl-edge of certain things such as when to sign or

hands.” Caroline’s communication borne of respect and providing sound advice, has won over the elder’s hearts. “I was really amazed to realise I have been nominated to the National competition. I asked myself am I doing such a great job. I realise hard work pays.”

Gloria Zoleka SodedePort Elizabeth, Eastern Cape

Gloria joined Kha Ri Gude in 2015 after hearing a friend mentioning the programme. She went to university for a year but due to certain cir-cumstances she could not complete the qual-

-

what she loves - which is giving back to the

and intriguing. “I allow them to write and make mistakes and you have to be patient with them in order to move onto the next level because it is imperative that they know how to do what you are teaching them, than focusing on time.” “For me being nominated means I have been

and I am happy about it,” she said.


IT TAKES A BIG HEART TO H

Ntombikayise MashianeEmalahleni, Mpumalanga

FINALISTS

Ntombikayise Mashiane joined Kha Ri Gude in 2015. Taking part in the programme allowed her to pursue her passion for teaching and it was one step towards helping her achieve her dream. “The closest step to teaching was Kha Ri (��$��4��to teaching young children. When you teach older people, you need to remember that they

are old, so you have to learn to be patient and humble. I actually learnt patience through them. I give them the level of respect I give to my parents’ she appreciates,” she explains. “I am very honoured to be nominated for ��"��$�� !��@��started. I was not even expecting that Kha Ri Gude will take me to this level. I appreciate it,” she said.

Thembeka MakhungaMsinga, KwaZulu-Natal

Thembeka Makhunga joined Kha Ri Gude in 2012 with the aim of seeing adults gain an ed-ucation and become independent as well as to instil a love for education in them. She always wanted to be a teacher and taking part in the Kha Ri Gude programme was a step towards achieving her dream. She also incorporates teachings about healthy diet, hygiene and the importance of

exercising to stay healthy as a way of helping her students deal with some of the health conditions they face daily. “I am so happy to be nominated by the NTA’s, it is a blessing for me and very encouraging. Because I was not expecting that they will be something like this in my life and it motivates me to be more active,” she says.

Linda Faith MjuleniPaarl, Western Cape

Linda joined Kha Ri Gude in 2013, realising the elderly could not go to school despite their desire to learn. She thought it would be im-portant to provide them with the opportunity to learn and joined Kha Ri Gue to give back to her community by teaching them how to read and write. While Linda was unable to complete her Social `�8��*��!��constraints, she has no regrets as this path has led her onto her goal of giving back to

the community. She accompanies her students to public areas such as the bank to teach them about the ��4��*��!��such as calculators to the class to demon-strate to them how to use it. “I feel proud to be nominated. I feel like somebody is noticing the work that I am doing and I am grateful to God. Just to be nominat-ed I feel I have achieved something and I am encouraged.”


HELP SHAPE LITTLE MINDS

A TEACHER TAKES A HAND, OPENS THE MIND AND TOUCHES A HEART

Sarah Sibande joined the Kha Ri Gude programme in 2009. She is passionate about making sure deaf people get the same quality education as all other students, and joined the initiative so she could make this a reality for deaf members of her community. ��)��

at times being deaf becomes a challenge as they have a hard time relating with people sometimes.” She teaches mainly through books to emphasise the im-portance of reading and writing and starts her lessons with basics such as writing their names before continuing with other advanced activities.

Sibongile Dlamini joined Kha Ri Gude in 2014, with the desire to ensure everybody has knowledge, develops the ability to live independently and is as literate as she is. She teaches basic education such as Braille, IsiZulu, English and Numeracy. The Kha Ri Gude programme provides social support

and counselling to people who have become blind in their old age, and Sibongile gives those in the programme moral support, encouraging them to not give in and see the hope that lies before them. “It is so inspiring and amazing to be nominated. It gives me more courage to continue teaching,” she says.

Malunguza Mbothwe joined Kha Ri Gude in 2013 to assist fellow deaf people who had challenges communicating !��8��)��relate with people, gain their independence and get access to resources to empower themselves.He feels proud to be part of the Kha Ri Gude programme be-

��8��4�� Outside of his lessons, he has developed close relation-ships with his learners and they do various sports activities together, visit malls and attend church together. He feels so good to have been nominated for a National Teaching Award.

Second PositionSibongile Dameni Kagiso, Gauteng

Kha Ri GudeInclusive Education Volunteer Educator

Third PositionMalunguza Mbothwe

Tshelimnyama,KwaZulu-Natal

Winner Siboni Sibande

Mbombela, Mpumalanga


FINALISTS

Nkagisang MothibiWarrington, Northern Cape

Judas MayevuMalamulele, Limpopo

Matshidiso RamakgakgaThusanong Disability Cen-tre, North West province

Nomsa Ngwenya King Williams Town, Eastern Cape

Nkagisang Mothibi joined the Kha Ri Gude programme after it became heartbreaking for her to see blind people neglected without ed-ucation. She joined the programme in 2014 to help eradicate illiteracy and boost their self- esteem. She was born blind, but received her eyesight back within seven years and went to mainstream school – to only permanently lose sight in one eye again. She feels honoured and privileged to be nominated for a National

Teaching Awards saying, “It was a surprise and I said this comes once in a lifetime so let me go and represent those who are without sight. Whatever obstacle that is there in life, you can overcome.” Besides teaching Braille, Languages and Numeracy, she teaches imaginary education which includes exercising. She also gives �� 4��them daily such as walking on busy roads.

Judas Mayevu joined Kha Ri Gude in 2011 and has never looked back. He became a part of the programme to teach people the need for education amongst the visually challenged. “The time I was still going to school, they would ask me what I learn at school, so I would tell them someday I will come to teach �� $��

he explains. The students would often ask him about the importance of education in their old age and he always pointed out the role education plays in all stages of life and how it can help deal with the many challenges they face. “I am amazed to be nominated. I never thought would be nominated to represent my province.”

Matshidso Ramakgakga became blind in 2012 and studied at the Kgaratlou disability centre, learning Braille. She believes she is fortunate to be a part of the Kha Ri Gude programme, ��@��8��4��-ence to the lives of people with disabilities. She wants to give people who are also blind, hope and motivate them to look beyond their

disability and learn to do other things. “I refer them to social workers and organisations to get support on social issues that I may not be able to attend or solve,” she explains. “I feel so fortunate to be nominated because it means my hard work is recognised, and people get empowered through us.”

Nomsa Ngwenya started with Kha Ri Gude in 2009 as a P.A and in 2012 she began working as a volunteer educator. Her keenness to learn new thing and the elders’ willingness to learn has inspired her to move from her role as a P.A to being volunteer educator. As a young, partially blind lady with interest in sharing knowledge with adults, she has learnt, through her class, to relate to her students on a personal note and build relationships with them. “Sometimes before the class I intensely ask

�!��$��their minds, so that they may express their grievances – making it easier for them to concentrate when we do class activities,” she explains. She also does extracurricular activities such as skipping rope to entertain and motivate the students.‘I feel so overwhelmed to be nominated for the National Teaching Awards; I did not know what to think. I wondered what they see in me. However, I feel encouraged that I have been nominated.”


FINALISTS

Esther VilakaziQwaQwa, Free State

Andiswa Fayindlala Khayelitsha, Western Cape

Esther joined Kha Ri Gude in 2012 after she was touched by the impact the programme had on people and felt encouraged to join the programme and empower others. “I saw friends empowering people who were not going to school because of their disabil-ity and they were growing old and could no longer get accepted in schools. So I decided to join and assist,” she explains.She teaches them Braille, Numeracy and

Literacy as well as extracurricular activities such as exercise and singing to soothe their concentration levels so they continue with lessons. “I feel excited about being nominated by the National Teaching Awards because this is my

-der what they recognise in me. What did I do that was so big, that lead to this nomination?

Andiswa Fayindlala joined Kha Ri Gude in 2013 and feels very proud to have been nominated for the National award. While she could not complete her matric and ended at Grade 11, her passion for learning led her to register for an Early Childhood Devel-opment course.She believes that her respect to the elderly is

what helps her to teach and relate well with her students. She also gives them space in class to share their personal challenges and any social issues they come across with her. This approach is so she can help them lessen their burdens and enable them to concentrate in class and work as a team – and ultimately succeed in the classroom.

OUR TEACHERS,OUR INSPIRATION

THE MAIN HOPE OF A NATION LIES IN THE PROPER EDUCATION OF ITS YOUTH

Prof Kader Asmal Excellence Award

Mokgesi Pitse was the principal of Ramono Secondary in the North West for twenty seven years. Throughout his profes-sional career he has been committed to collaborating with communities for change and leading by example. He has a Bachelor’s Degree in Education from UNISA, an Honours de-gree in Education from the University of Potchefstroom and a Master’s degree in Education from the University of the North West. He has been a shining example of leadership to his learners, teachers and the community who were motivat-ed by his commitment and hard work. He helped build two pre-schools - Tshinangwe pre-School and Pitso pre-school - and a high school nearby and worked

with the school governing body to raise funds for needy students. He is most proud of what his past learners have achieved. He has produced a Deputy Director General in the Depart-ment of education in the North-West province, a geologist heading local mines in the province, an opera singer who is touring the world, a medical doctor, an advocate and many teachers and principals. He also participated in the Kha Ri Gude programme at school and had an active role in ensuring that athletics and soccer at the school improved by doing all he could to pro-vide learners with sporting resources.

Prof Sechaba Mahlomaholo Free State

Professor Sechaba Mahlomaholo is a graduate of the Universities of the North, Western Cape and Harvard. He is a National Research Foundation (NRF) rated Professor of Education and the Dean of the Faculty of Education at the University of the Free State.He started his career as a teacher at Marallaneng High

of Education in QwaQwa a year later where his determi-nation and resolution to succeed were sharpened. He went on to hold many more teaching posts which allowed him to demonstrate how energetic and committed he was to giving his students an opportunity to live their dreams. He believes

education is the most important instrument in bringing about meaningful change and prides himself on being a demanding educational activist who leads by example and for implementing activities which have contributed to social transformation. With a career that is acclaimed internationally, he has pub-lished over 60 articles, co-edited numerous books, reports and publications and given 32 key note addresses in the community. He has also established a multidisciplinary research team which shares readings, ideas and resources with the aim of

Ntandoyenkosi Zamokuhle NtuliKwaZulu-Natal

Ntandoyenkosi Ntuli is the principal at Bizimali Secondary School in rural Nhloshane. Over the years, he has taught Mathematics, Life Sciences, History and English. An educational activist who leads by example, his philosophy throughout his career has been that teaching and learning is a matter of national importance and should be second to none. To solve the problem of school dropouts, he has made it his duty to visit homes in the area where his school is located and speak to parents and children about the importance of education. In one instance, a young lady in Grade 12 was abducted in a practice known as ‘ukuthwala’.

He took it upon himself to plead with her family and

is now employed as an educator in one of the local high schools. He has started a school tertiary programme which assists learners with their university applications and expos-es them to available scholarship and bursary opportunities. The initiative also works closely with various universities, relevant Heads of Schools and Deans of Faculty so the teaching in the classrooms is well informed by the admission

FINALISTS

Winner Mokgesi Pitse North-West

Ditebogo Doris MashegoMpumalanga

Hendrik du ToitGauteng

Ditebogo Mashego is an educator, principal, district head and currently a Chief Director with the Mpumalanga De-partment of Education. In a career spanning several de-cades, she has led many campaigns for change in schools and championed teacher development. As an educator, her philosophy was to lead by example. Despite teaching ��)��$��the classroom and actively sought solutions to problems such as overcrowding. Over the years, she has worked tirelessly for transformation in schools where she was the

principal and adopted creative and inspired methods for ��*��&��@��village in Bushbuckridge and consistently participated in various community meetings. She has remained commit-��@�� on gender inequality and implemented progressive ideas at schools to help deal with tension and manage unpop-ular ideas. She has worked tirelessly, with her teachers, to ensure schools were inclusive and adhered to the Consti-tution – something she takes great pride in.

Hendrik du Toit is the principal of Verwoerd High School in Gezina – a position he has held since 1994. He started his career as a teacher in 1980 and has dedicated over 36 years to the teaching profession. In 1994, when the coun-try was experiencing social and political changes, du Toit made a decision to be part of that pivotal change. Under his leadership, the language policy was amended to make the school accessible to all races and build an inclusive culture. Curriculum changes were made and cultural programmes were introduced which were praised by gov-

ernment. Despite resistance, he successfully turned the school into a multi-cultural and inclusive environment for learning. He has been nominated for the Lifetime Achieve-ment Award in 2010 and placed second. For 13 years, he has been involved in the teacher training and development and has built cultural exchange programmes with inter-national educational institutions to improve learning. He founded the USSASA Sport Association in 1993 and was appointed manager of a SA Schools Cricket team which participated in a junior world cup in England in 2000.

Prof Kader Asmal Excellence Award

Vuyisle Preston ManeliEastern Cape

FINALISTS

Vuyisile Maneli was a principal for over 28 year before his retirement. Throughout his accomplished career he was renowned for nurturing excellence in Mathematics and Physics education and for leading academic and athletic transformations in schools. He was the founder principal of several schools. One school, Zingisa Night and Continuation Classes in Fort Beaufort, was started with no electricity and lessons oc-curred from 6-9 pm using Coleman lamps. His commitment impressed the then Circuit Inspector and the school was subsequently subsidized. He has involved

in teacher training and evaluation and trained educators in the several districts. Having realized the unfortunate plight and having identi-��-vantaged people, he took a very active part in Adult Ed-ucation throughout his teaching career. He is recognized as one of the most valuable assets of the Eastern Cape Province and has proved to be one of the most dedicat-ed teachers as he continues to render his services even after his retirement, teaching in a number of schools and getting involved in several educational projects.

Mohammed Riyaadh NajaarWestern Cape

Mohammed Najaar’s teaching career spans over an im-pressive 40 years. He has been part of Spine Road High School for 30 years and he was appointed as principal of the school in 1993. During the 23 years of being a princi-pal at this school he has taken the school to new heights. A true visionary and leader, he has excelled in his teaching and created a nurturing and caring atmosphere for learn-ers and teachers.A committed educator, he is an advocate of equal opportunity through the creation of the best education system in the world. He holds the view that schools should

empower and instil learners with a vision to rise above their circumstances and contribute to the well-being and economy of the country. Teaching in a gang-infested area, he has faced challenges head on. The community has tak-�� no break-ins have occurred at the school. The school has a bright school uniform so that learners can stand out inspired to escape poverty. Many infrastructural changes have been made under his leadership. The school has a 2 000 capacity hall, a recently revamped administration building and a synthetic pitch for hockey.

*Terms and conditions apply. AVBOB is an authorised Financial Services Provider. AVBOB is a level 2 B-BBEE contributor. FSP 20656. www.AVBOB.co.za

THE REST IS YET TO BE WRITTEN...The AVBOB Container Library Project is just one example of how AVBOB is securing positive change across South Africa. Under the auspices of the AVBOB Foundation, we continuously drive a number of CSI programmes.

THE NEXT CHAPTER

Initially, the project aimed to deliver 30container libraries. The response has been so overwhelmingly positive that this �� 40 libraries by December 2016.

The story of South Africa is one of determination, hope and collaboration. It is written one day at a time… and AVBOBis proud to play our part in shaping it.

MORE IMPORTANTLY, WE’VE FREED

of young minds.

So far... we’ve donated 28 libraries.

1000sAt AVBOB, our policyholders and the communities in which we operate are family… and family �'�� ,��+�Always. That’s why, over the past three years, we have endeavoured to give young minds within these communities the means and opportunity to ensure a brighter future through reading.

REWRITING THE BOOK ON SUSTAINABLE COMMUNITY UPLIFTMENTSince January 2013, the AVBOBContainer Library Project has provisioned 28 fully-furnished libraries to disadvantaged schools, complete with roughly 2500 new books each. The impact of this project has been so profound that Minister of Basic Education, Ms Angie Motshekga, even endorsed the effort.

TEACHERS ARE THE HEARTBEAT OF A NATION

Lesiba Isaac Pillay has been an educator for 33 years and has been a principal since 1985. He has been the principal At Ru-tanang Primary School in Rustenburg since 2005. He loves the opportunities provided by his work as an educator to trans-�� @�� {��young people who pass through his hands. He spent 17 years of his working life in the deep rural areas around Vryburg, communicating the importance of education to impoverished communities. He is most proud of producing learners who went on to become teachers, municipal managers, soccer stars and

radio personalities over the year. He is the president of school � ��'��!��secretary for school sport in the province, representing the North West at national sports talks. He is also the secretary general for the Motsepe Foundation in his district and has been instrumental in providing bursaries to more than 40 learners in his area through this programme. Pila was instrumental in clustering early childhood development centres around his area to work together and ��4��primary school as they are better prepared.

Tasneem Rajack has been an educator for 39 years and she has been the principal at Phoenix Heights Primary School in Phoenix for 17 years. She holds a Higher Education Diploma, Junior Professional Edcuation Diploma, a BA degree specialis-ing in History and Science of Religion and a Masters Degree in Education Management. Rajack comes from humble beginnings and always understood the opportunity that education provid-ed to change one’s circumstances. She always wanted to help others achieve their best despite their personal circumstances and through teaching she is able to achieve this. Despite her many years as an educators she is adamant that her work is not yet done and she is not yet ready to retire. “I am dedicated

and committed to the cause of the poor, particularly orphans ��!��frontiers of poverty from my community,” explains Rajack. She won the Batho Pele Service Excellence Gold Award in 2010 and in 2011 the school won the Premier’s Service Excellence Award and she was also selected as an adjudicator for the awards. In 2013 she won the Phoenix Plaza Woman of the Year Award in the education category and in 2007 she won the Ethikweni Municipality City Stars Award. In 2004 she placed second in the provincial leg of the National Teachers Awards Excellence in Primary School leadership category.

Dr Mapula Mofya-Legodi has been at Rev MP Malatjie Primary School in Polokwane since 1994. She is currently the school principal and teaches Life Skills to Grade 4 learners as well. She has been an educator for 38 years. She holds a doctorate ��$�� $��$��B Ed degree and B Ed. Honours in Education Management as well as a Masters in Education. Her masters thesis dealt with ‘Education Issues and Trends that Shaped Black Perspectives in Education: A Historical and Educational Survey from 1658 to 1994’. She decided to pursure a career in teaching as there were very few career opportunities for black women at the time

but she realises now that she was destined to be in the class-room, shaping the minds of future generations. For Mofya-Le-godi the development of young educators is a passion and she ��4�� >��She is also at the forefront of World Teachers Day celebrations at her school and in 2007 her school management team was awarded the Premier’s Award for service delivery in education. She has developed Reverend MP Malatjie Primary School into a school of excellence and has built a school hall, added two classrooms, a lifeskills centre and computer lab in her time at the helm.

Winner Lesiba Isaac Pila

Rutanang Primary School, North West

Second PositionTasneem Rajack

Phoenix Heights Primary School, KwaZulu-Natal

Third PositionDr Mapula Mofya-Legodi

Rev MP Malatjie Primary School, Limpopo

Lifetime Achievement Award

Hendrik Botha Excelsior Primary School, Western Cape

Motsehoa MontshoQwabi Primary School, Free State

Dianne WoolleyHoërskool Florida, Gauteng

Hendrik Botha is the principal of Excelsior Primary School in Cape Town. He started teaching 42 years ago and joined the school 19 years ago. He was previously a Mathe-matics teacher and now is responsible for computer lessons for his learners. He holds a BA Degree from Unisa, a B Ed. Degree, a Professional Teachers Diploma as well as a Higher Education Diploma. He was inspired to enter the classroom by his Grade 11 Science teacher at Outenique High School, Flip de Swart, who recognised his leadership ability and nominated him as a school prefect. Botha has celebrated a number of milestones during his time as an educator but he is most proud of his role in the transformation of Excelsi-

or Primary School. When he arrived at the school it was a predominantly white, Afrikaans institution and it has now been transformed to a totally diverse English medium school which 4�� >��1997 when he arrived at the school the infra-structure was not up to standard and over the years he has worked with parents to overhaul the school. He oversaw the establishment of science and computer labs and the purchase of two school minibuses and a tractor for the � ��as he once was he continues to play a role in all sport activities at the school, whether it be as a mini-rugby coach or providing support at tournaments and matches.

Motsehoa Montsho is the principal at Qwabi Primary School in Qwa-Qwa in the Free State. She started teaching 40 years ago and has been at Qwabi Primary School – where she teaches Grade 1 Life Skills – for 29 years. &��>��-ing a B Ed. Honours degree, Primary Teachers :� ��$�*��*��Education Diploma, Higher Education Diploma ��%�>��$��commitment to life long learning. As a young woman Montsho had no intention of becom-ing a teacher but she was soon drawn to the profession as many of her family members are teachers and now, 40 years later, she would not have changed that decision for the world. She has always enjoyed working with young

children and as a teacher she felt she could make a contribution to the education devel-opment of young black children in particular. She has been instrumental in the transfor-mation of her school, which serves Grade R-3 learners, and from 2006-2008 the school was recognised as the Best Performing Primary School in its area. The school has also won numerous awards for it participation read-athons and vegetable garden competitions and in 2012 the school won 2nd Place at the National School Nutrition Programme Awards. Under the guidance the school was able to raise funds for the establishment of a nutri-tion centre and two new classrooms. She also established a multipurpose sports court and school and dining hall.

Dianne Woolley is the director of sport and a Life Orientation teacher for Grades 8,9 and 11 at Hoërskool Florida in Johannesburg. She has been an educator for 36 years and has been at her current school for nine years. She is the holder of a BA Honours Degree in Physical Education, Afrikaans and Biblical Studies as well as a further education diploma in Guidance and a degree in sports manage-ment. Woolley is a sports fanatic who has played representative sport at provincial and national level and feels that physical education lays a solid foundation for a good education. She

has been the president of SA Schools Netball for the past 10 years and has served on the national committee since 1994. In that time she has collaborated with Unicef and the Motsepe Foundation on a number of projects which has opened the doors for many learners to excel. For Woolley one of the greatest joys as an educator is to see her former learners doing well and develop into successful individuals. Outside of the classroom Woolley is a keen hiker and a part-time preacher. She plays the acoustic guitar in her church band and has recently developed an interest in photography.

Lifetime Achievement Award FINALISTS

TEACHERS, TRUE CUSTODIAN

Lulama MbaneFikile Bengu Senior Primary School, Eastern Cape

Thabo MsimangoTheu-Theu Primary School, Mpumalanga

Papane Richard Okhaa Sishen Intermediate Mine School, Northern Cape

Lulama Mbane has been teaching since 1992 and joined Fikile Bengu Primary Senior School in Mdantsane in 1982. She is currently the school principal and has completed a string ��>��$��%��$�*��$��diploma in teaching, B Ed. Honours at the University of Fort Hare and she was also part of the Primary Mathematics Project at Leeds University in the United Kingdom. Teaching appears to be in Mbane’s blood as a number of her aunts and uncles are educators and she knew from a young age that she would follow in their footsteps. She has co-authored a book on Mathematics with lecturers at Stellenbosch University, called Mathematics at Work in 2005 and in 2004 she was recognised

as the Mathematics Teacher of the Year in the Eastern Cape. She has also been involved in teacher training and spent nine years as a part-time lecturer at the University of Fort Hare. In 2001 she was invited to the University of South Australia as an exchange student to learn more about mathematics teaching in that country. Mbane is actively involved with the Mdantsane Science and Technology Edu-cators society, which trains teachers in Math-ematics, Science and Technology and she is also a member of the Assocication of Science Educators of South Africa and the Association of Mathematics Educators of South Africa.

Thabo Msimango is the deputy principal at Theu-Theu Primary School in Volksrust. He has nearly 30 years’ experience as an educator, 27 of which have been at his current school. He holds a B Ed. Honours in Lead-ership and Management and has extensive experience in material design and facilitation for training. When Msimango completed school there were not many career options available to him so he decided to try his hand at teaching. Little did he know how much he would grow to love the profession over the years. He is deeply involved in community issues and in 2002

attended a course for master training on HIV/Aids. In 2003 he won the National Teaching Awards award for Excellence in Primary School Leadership in his province. As the school music coordinator he is re-sponsible for the school choir which regularly represents the province at the South African Schools Choral Eisteddfod. Msimango is the chairperson of the local Aids council and he assisted his district in drafting its HIV/Aids strategic plan for 2007-2011. He regularly conducts consultative summits on HIV/Aids awareness programmes and is the current treasurer of the Aids council.

Papane Richard Okhaa is the principal at Sish-en Intermediate Mine School in Katu. He has been at the school for 25 years and currently teaches Grade 6 Mathematics. He holds a B Ed. Honours in Management of Education and has 38 years experience as an educator. As a young boy Okhaa always wanted a pro-��in his family. His love for the profession is infectious and it inspired his sister to fol-low in his footsteps. Over the years he has overseen massive growth at his school, which ��4��!��classrooms and which has now been expand-ed to include 29 classrooms and caters to 1040 learners. He is active in a number of

extra-curricular activities with a particular interest in choral singing and he has regularly led his school to honours in the South African School’s Choral Eisteddfod, which is a {�� :� ��Basic Education. He has been instrumental in establishing relationships with local businesses to develop the school and this has resulted in the construction of extra classrooms, an ECD centre, upgrading of a computer lab and air conditioning for the school buildings. Okhaa is the provincial treasurer of the South African Principals Association and active in community structures, serving as the community policing chairperson.

Lifetime Achievement AwardFINALISTS

NS OF OUR NATION’S FUTURE

Creating opportunities for everyone to prosper.

We are delighted to recognise and celebrate phenomenal teachers who are committed to helping students aim high and achieve their potential, while often, overcoming considerable challenges along the way.

Education plays an integral role in shaping our country’s future.

ROAD ACCIDENT FUND 16th ANNUAL NATIONAL TEACHERS AWARDS

MESSAGE OF SUPPORT The Road Accident Fund (RAF) which compensates road crash victims and their families, provides rehabilitation support and promotes road safety, would like to congratulate all the finalists and winners of the 16th Annual National Teachers Awards. Childrens future lives are often paved by educators who not only are dispensers of knowledge, but also serve as community leaders and role models. As agents of social change and transformation, their selfless dedication to the nurturing of young minds is a commitment which we not only find admirable but also inspirational at the RAF. This is why as the caring arm of government we have sought to ensure that our entire strategy is aligned to government's broader socio-economic and development agenda. Our Corporate Social Responsibility programme seeks to nurture a meaningful, sustainable participation of all vulnerable groupings – hence our support of the “Excellence in Special Needs and Inclusive Teaching” category – and seeks to ensure that communities are empowered for years to come. The RAF is mindful that being a responsible corporate citizen is more than just ticking a compliance box or handing over a cheque. We believe in equipping our society with the relevant skills and information which will enable growth and development. Through our involvement in the National Teachers Awards, we hope to provide the winning school with the necessary support towards achieving this goal, thus making a significant albeit small contribution towards addressing societal imbalances. Closer to home, the impact of car crashes on children is significant and remains one of their lead causes of death. Promoting road safety amongst school children builds a lasting benefit for all road users long into the future. Additionally, teachers are instrumental in assisting and supporting children affected by car crashes who often have life-long needs for support – academically and functionally. We wish the winners all of the best and trust they will continue making a meaningful impact on the lives of those learners who pass through their hands in the years to come. Yours Sincerely, Dr Eugene Watson Chief Executive Officer Road Accident Fund

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Teachers plant seeds of knowledge that grow forever

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