MEC Applauds Teachers Excellence

A 100% pass rate in Physical Science for the past five years in an African, rural school in an impoverished community. This was the citation for Ms Nombeko Ngubeni of the Percy Mdala Secondary School in Knysna, who was one of several teachers honoured by the Western Cape Education Department (WCED) on Friday evening in Cape Town.

Western Cape Education MEC Cameron Dugmore applauded her and other recipients of the Provincial Teachers Awards, thanking them for the remarkable way in which they are devoting their lives to children and going out of their way to find ways both to serve and challenge.

This annual awards ceremony is intended to acknowledge and reward the efforts of teachers in the Western Cape, and they will now go through to another round of adjudications with their provincial counterparts in the rest of the country, to contest for national honours.

The award winners were:

• Mr Nkosinathi Mkonto, Chuma Primary School in Khayelitsha - for excellence in primary school teaching
• Ms Nombeko Ngubeni, Percy Mdala High School in Knysna - for excellence in secondary school teaching
• Mesdames Abrona Barends; Marilyn Pamplin; Charmaine Jacobs from the Alpha School for Learners with Autism in Woodstock - excellence in early childhood development
• Ms Maria Otto from the St Paul's Primary School in Faure - for excellence in Inclusive Education and Special Needs Training
• Mr Hendrick Brand from the Karookop Primary School in Piketberg - for excellence in Primary School Leadership
• Mr Henry Alexander from the Bernadino Heights Secondary School in Kraaifontein - for excellence in Secondary School Leadership
• Ms Muriel Kroukamp from the Riviersonderend Community Learning Centre in Riviersonderend - for excellence in Adult Basic Education and Training
• Mr Cornelius de Jager from the Paul Roos Gymnasium in Stellenbosch - for a Lifetime Achievement Award

MEC Dugmore said these teachers are "dealing daily with young minds and fragile egos, being measured all the time against the clock, against the curriculum, against the stream of demands coming from all directions makes being a teacher surely one of the most exhausting professions.

"In a classroom, the teacher is contending with the complex and destractable minds of around 40 other people when maybe only a handful of them are actually interested in what's happening in the classroom at that moment. Our children's lives are full of ordeals and challenges like peer-pressure, drugs, poverty and violence.

"The teacher somehow has to orchestrate everything - all the different backgrounds, the different paces and learning needs, the changing curriculum, the demands of administration and record-keeping* In the mix also are the learners' crucial needs to play and socialise."

With regards to the challenges of Literacy and Numeracy, MEC Dugmore said he recognized the fact that teacher development is central to the success of this strategy.

Besides teacher development, he outlined several steps the department has taken to improve the conditions of service of teachers. These steps, MEC Dugmore said shows that teaching is "not only the noblest profession, but also one where efforts are being made to retain teachers in the service".

"Teachers, as in any profession, are required to ensure their ongoing professional development. I am pleased to say that the teachers of the Western Cape are demonstrating this commitment in a big way," said MEC Dugmore.

See full text on www.westerncape.gov.za/education.

Recipients of the Various Categories

Excellence in Primary School Teaching
Mr Nkosinathi Mkonto
Chuma Primary School - Khayelitsha

Mr Nkosinathi Manuel Mkonto is a passionate, dedicated and well-organised teacher. He has a broad knowledge of languages and is also an expert in curriculum development. He was appointed as a lead teacher during the 2006 NCS, GET training. His dedication and positive attitude, despite many challenges, has resulted in his becoming a leader in his school and community. Mr Mkonto was appointed as a cluster co-ordinator for 8 schools because of his expertise. He organises and chairs the cluster meetings, arranges workshops and provides guidance in the development of programmes on Xhosa. At school level he has assisted his colleagues to develop learning programmes and introduced new teaching methods. As a Post Level 1 teacher, Mr Mkonto represents the hope of education, a beacon of light for the young generation of South Africa.

Excellence in Secondry School Teaching
Ms Nombeko Ngubeni
Percy Mdala High School - Knysna

Ms. Ngubeni is a physical science teacher at Percy Mdala Secondary School in Knysna. A very dedicated educator, who sacrifices even Saturdays for extra classes in Maths and Science for her learners. She has already received an award from Telkom for Maths and Science Teaching. She makes use of computerised teaching methods in her classroom, and inspires her learners continuously to prepare themselves to address the critical skills gaps in society. For the past five years she had a 100% matric pass rate in her subject. She forms networks with science experts in the community, and invites them in on a regular basis, as well as with science educators from surrounding schools.

Excellence in Early Childhood Development
Mesdames Abrona Barends; Marilyn Pamplin; Charmaine Jacobs Alpha School for Learners with Autism - Woodstock

The highly specialised field of autism, which we ordinary citizens know so little about, demands dedication and compassion. This is evident in the work of this committed team where the holistic development of each child is of utmost importance. Together with the parents as partners, the team strive to develop each child to reach his or her full potential by employing creative and innovative teaching methods to address the triad of impairment of learners on the autistic spectrum, namely communication and language, social interaction, and behaviour and imagination. The teachers have to make constant changes and modify their teaching strategies to suit the needs of each individual child. At Alpha School the motto is" We stand together". This is evident throughout the school and its community.

Excellence in Inclusive Education and Special Needs Teaching
Ms Maria Otto St Paul's Primary School - Faure

Ms Heleen Otto is a very dedicated and results-orientated learning support teacher. Her main objective is to teach and educate children in an environment conducive to learning. She therefore becomes involved in all aspects of the children's lives, at school and after school. She inspires other teachers with her energy and drive. After assessing all the learners in the schools, she has developed an intervention strategy for Literacy. As a result of this intervention the Literacy rate of St Paul's has improved from 0 % to 27,8 %. Ms Otto follows a holistic and integrated approach to learning and teaching, but at the same time recognise individual needs and differences. The school is a perfect example of the implementation of inclusive education, where learners with special needs, especially those with foetal alcohol syndrome, are included in all the classes. Maria's motto is " If you can dream it, you can also do it".

Excellence in Primary School Leadership
Mr Hendrick Brand
Karookop Primary School - Piketberg

Mr Hendrik Brand is a highly motivated and enthusiastic individual who strives for excellence in his profession. The school is situated in a very isolated and disadvantaged area, but the children are encouraged not to become victims of their situation. He encourages them to rise above their circumstances by arranging opportunities to enhance their life experiences, for example, excursions to Cape Town (visits to the Baxter Theatre, Table Mountain) and the surrounding areas. Despite the many challenges, he has a positive attitude and makes a difference in the lives of the children and the community. He strongly believes in creating opportunities for his disadvantaged learners by employing class assistants from this very isolated community. Mr Brand has also initiated a Grade R class to assist in preparing children for formal schooling. This award is in recognition of Mr Brand's dedication and the future of Karookop.

Excellence in Secondary School Leadership
Mr Henry Alexander Bernadino Heights Secondary School - Kraaifontein

Mr Alexander started his teaching career in 1972 in Calvinia. Obtained all of his qualifications (B.A, Hons, B.Ed, M.Phil, HDE) through part-time studies. He started teaching at Bernadino Heights in 1989 and was appointed as principal in 1993. The school is situated in an area characterised by crime and violence and has been burgled and vandalised regularly. Through his leadership these negative influences were channelled and changed to a more positive and disciplined culture where effective learning and teaching could take place. The matriculants have consistently performed at a pass rate of 92% and higher over the past ten years. The school has received various certificates in this regard, Most improved school award (2000), Merit award (1999), Commendation certificate (1999, 2000, 2001). The staff views him as a transparent, visionary leader who has a participatory leadership style and constantly encourages and motivates staff and learners.

Excellence in Adult Basic Education and Training
Ms Muriel Kroukamp Riviersonderend Community Learning Centre - Riviersonderend

Ms Kroukamp started her teaching career in 1994 at Riviersonderend Literacy Projects, a project of the Riviersonderend Advice Office. She has initiated a number of projects to ensure that literacy levels of adults have been raised. Ms Kroukamp has been an recipient of a number of awards, eg. Oustanding educator in 2002 and the Centre manager prestige Award in 2001 and 2003. The centre gas also received an award for the best centre for matric results in 2001. Ms Kroukamp provides positive and clear leadership and the centre has six satelite centres in other towns. Ms Kroukamp has fostered a number of partnerships with private companies and organisations.

Lifetime Achievement Award
Mr Cornelius de Jager
Paul Roos Gymnasium - Stellenbosch

Mr De Jager started his teaching teaching career in 1971 at Durbanville High School He taught Mathematics for 22 years and served as examiner for Mathematics in 1985,86,90-1995. The Paul Roos Multi-functional Center 2001 was officically opened by ex President Nelson Mandela, and Mr De Jager personally collected R1 000 000.00 for the centre. Mr De Jager was a pioneer in Introducing soccer and biathle water polo as school sports. He was responsible for the introduction of additional Mathematics, Domestic Science, Technical Drawings, French, Italian, Mandarin and Isi-xhosa 2nd Language as subjects. Under his leadership the school has grown and educators are given the opportunity to develop themselves so that the learners may benefit.

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For enquiries:
Gert Witbooi
Media Liaison Officer
Office of the MEC for Education
Western Cape
Tel: 021 467 2523
Fax: 021 425 5689
Email: gwitbooi@pgwc.gov.za
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