DURBAN - THE COMMISSIONER of the Public Service Commission, Somadoda Fikeni, has described teachers as frontliners who dispense love to communities.
He was the guest speaker at the World Teachers’ Day celebration hosted by Windy Heights Primary School at Amanzimtoti Civic Hall on Tuesday.
Fikeni said teaching was the most important sector which groomed younger generations for the future.
“Teachers are in the front line to receive people (pupils) from broken families and communities. We all anticipate that they do their magic to these people. They dispense love to those who have not experienced love. They mediate in different issues these pupils experience in their homes. Yet, they prepare our youth for the future.”
He said they were grateful to teachers who remained dedicated during the hard times of the pandemic and economic meltdown.
“During this period of uncertainty where people have lost relatives, livelihoods and many things, teachers also marched into the Fourth Industrial Revolution and used virtual platforms.
“The government declared the year 2021 as the year of Charlotte Maxeke. Therefore, we are going to reflect on her values and principles of dedication and link them with the profession of teaching.”
Charlotte Mannya Maxeke Institute’s chairperson Thulasizwe Makhanya highlighted Maxeke’s contribution to the country’s education.
Makhanya said the institute’s aim was to influence teachers to follow Maxeke’s footsteps and contribution. She was the first black woman to graduate with a university degree in South Africa as well as the first black African woman to graduate from an American university.
“We want teachers and everyone to understand her importance in education. Maxeke started teaching at the age of 19 and groomed others as well. She was nothing but a helper, sister and a groomer to different people which is exactly what teachers are doing. We want teachers to continue being principled, upright, behave, be role models to children and add value to our society,” said Makhanya.
Windy Heights principal Thembekile Makhanya said they dedicated Teachers’ Day to honour their teachers’ dedication and hard work in bettering their pupils’ lives.
“We are using this day to look at our own accomplishments as the school through our teachers. The school’s success is through our teachers; without them the school can never be as successful. We want to look back at our sacrifices dealing with different battles in our homes during hard Covid but we managed to be there when our pupils needed us the most.”
She was also thankful that they managed to stick to the school’s five-year plan which included curriculum delivery.
“We are using modern technology to introduce skills, which works to our advantage. We have just formed a partnership with the Coastal College in Mbumbulu in terms of hospitality with the hope it becomes extended. Our kids are excited for skills work. We introduced beauty therapy, home economics, music and sign language to improve their skills.”
Daily News