Media Release
Minister of Education Debbie Schäfer
Western Cape

9 November, 2014

WCED honours Western Cape's top teachers.

Statement by Minister Debbie Schäfer, Minister of Education

It is my very great pleasure and privilege to join you all this evening, at the 15th Annual Provincial Teaching Awards Ceremony, to celebrate and recognise the achievements of our educators in the Province. Tonight is extra special for me as it is the first Provincial Teaching Awards to take place during my term of office.

Tonight I join you all in celebrating excellence in teaching and to honour some of the outstanding educators who inspire and motivate our children every day.

The role of a teacher in a child's life cannot be overemphasized. Teachers have learners in their care for hours every day. What you do, what you say and how you conduct yourselves influence those children. That is a lot of power you have in your hands.

And so it is important to acknowledge quality, excellence and professionalism in the education sector. That is why we attach such great importance to these awards.

Being a teacher requires much more than just delivering a quality curriculum for our learners. Many of our teachers have to face on-going challenges such as poverty, gang violence, abuse and crime. Often our teachers are not recognised for the important roles they play in our schools and the lives of our children.

As with any profession, you have the bad, the average, the good and the great. Tonight we are celebrating the great.

We are very fortunate in the Western Cape to have many educators who continue to go selflessly beyond the call of duty to ensure that their learners receive the best quality education. We will unfortunately not be able to recognise all of them tonight, but I want them to know that their efforts are sincerely appreciated.

The actions of one Principal at a school that I recently visited particularly stood out for me. Sadly, we were informed that the day before we visited the school, the Principal's son who was an educator himself, had passed away after a long battle with cancer.

The Principal was not able to meet me at the school, which I completely understood, but what I was amazed to learn is that he had come to the school that morning to ensure that everything was in order for his Matric learners to write their exam on time. Only then did he inform the staff of his tragic news.

Now I don't expect that of anybody, but I was really struck by the incredible commitment and dedication of this Principal in the face of his personal tragedy. My sincere condolences go to him and his family.

Now, back to this evening's celebration!

Each of the 38 educators who are here tonight has demonstrated commitment and dedication to the teaching profession. I congratulate each of you on being finalists in this competition.

I sat reading through the candidate motivations of some of the nominees and I was delighted to see the unmistakable FLAIR that emerged in each of you.

FLAIR is an acronym for the following traits:

• F - Foresight
• L - Leadership
• A - Accountability
• I - Initiative
• R - Responsibility

"F" for Foresight - this is required in order to plan ahead, foresee different scenarios, and make contingency plans. It is developed through conscious efforts and experience and is an essential trait for leaders in our schools. One such example is of an educator sitting here tonight that believes planning and structure is key in striking a balance between an administrative role and being a brilliant teacher, and who believes that it is important to stay a few steps ahead of learners.

"L" for Leadership - In each candidate's motivation that I read, there were many examples of outstanding leadership and contributions from Educators across the province. It excites me to see how many of you have run new and innovative programmes in your schools. One of the most remarkable qualities of a good leader is that they develop new leaders. Many of you have done this by ensuring your staff and colleagues attend courses and further training on management and leadership development. I am also overwhelmed to see how many of you go above and beyond the call of duty and work with parents and the community to develop their skills. This whole of society approach is what is required to take us forward and make a real difference in our province and society.

"A" for Accountability - Accountability is defined as "responsibility to someone or for some activity". When considering your accountability as an educator, we relate it to your responsibility for your learners and their learning progress. Each of you sitting here today has taken ownership of your learners and their performance. A number of you are going that extra mile to acquaint yourself with your learners' personal and domestic circumstances and in turn tailoring your teaching methods to the learner's individual needs. This is no small feat.

"I" for Initiative - Initiative can be described as 'the power or opportunity to act or take charge before others'. In an ever changing and diverse education system, it is important that you are able to think for yourselves and find different ways of working and thinking more creatively. One such example is of an educator who transforms ordinary practices into extra-ordinary experiences. This educator thinks out the box and has changed the way not only the school operates, but the district too.

Finally, "R" for Responsibility - A mark of strong character is an individual's sense of responsibility to oneself and to the community. Many of you sitting here today have not only taken responsibility for your learners and schools but also for the surrounding communities. We have seen in many of our schools, once plagued by vandalism, where the communities have taken ownership of the school, there has been a massive reduction in the cases of vandalism reported. One such example is an Educator sitting here today who through participation in many community organisations, has actively and successfully dealt with the impact and effects of social challenges that learners of the school experience. This educator's relentless tackling of social challenges in the local community has resulted in the binding of the community into a close knit unit, with the school as its core.

As the new Provincial Minister, I am so pleased to see that we have such committed and dedicated educators. Every child deserves a teacher who will not give up on them, will see their potential, and will encourage them to be the very best that they can be.

I am truly inspired by the calibre of candidates sitting before me today.

Tonight's celebration is, of course, not the end of this process. I should sincerely like to wish all our winners the best of luck in the National round of the teaching awards. It would be fantastic to see some Western Cape winners! Regardless, you are all winners in our eyes already.

I would like to thank you all once again, for your contribution towards excellence in our schools. Education is fundamental in any society, and whether our learners receive a good education or a bad education can determine the rest of their lives.

I hope you will always continue to have the passion, commitment and resilience that you have shown thus far and that together we can make a huge impact on our province and our country.

Thank you and Good Luck.

Western Cape's top teachers for 2014.

Excellence in Grade R Teaching

Motivation:

Ms Phindiwe Raqa is dedicated and committed to making a difference in the lives of the learners at her school as well as beyond the classroom. Her love for children saw the need to start a crèche on the local farm where she was staying.

She uses various projects and programmes to address specific needs within her class and community. Her qualities and experience as a leading Grade R teacher was recognised by her IMG Manager and District Office.

On Saturdays she conducts workshops for colleagues and teachers from the surrounding schools to help with the implementation of CAPS and proper planning. Although not compulsory, she promotes IQMS amongst her Grade R colleagues to ensure their growth and self-development, which results in the improvement of quality teaching and learning.

She overcomes her own physical limitations by involving volunteers from the community to assist with developmental outdoor activities which form an integral part of Grade R teaching. She also mentors and supports Grade R teachers in IsiXhosa Home Language.

She is enthusiastic and passionate about Grade R teaching and believes that every day is full of possibilities. She creates a stimulating, relaxing and creative environment to give her learners the best opportunity for holistic development. She initiated visits to the local library to instil a love for books and reading in her learners. She uses every opportunity to improve herself by attending any course that would add value to her existing knowledge and skills.

She trains parents to enable them to help their children with homework. She has a close relationship with her local clinic to promote HIV/Aids awareness among members of the community.

As a dynamic Grade R teacher she is worthy of receiving this prestigious award.

Excellence in Special Needs Teaching

Motivation:

Mr Brendon Bussy is a dedicated and professional teacher who has gone out of his way to promote inclusive and forward-thinking education for his primary and high school learners. His expertise in music and the fine arts has exposed learners, previously unable to participate in holistic programmes, to complete curriculum standards. He has used sign language with hearing learners as a method of control and kinetic learning, while destigmatising the experience of his deaf learners.

His learners from the Dominican School for the Deaf have blossomed in his classes, both because of his earnest work in communication and design as well as his ease with technology and knowledge of the latest developments in the deaf community. His integration of tried-and-tested techniques and experimental improvisation with learners is inspiring and sets an example for all educators at special schools. He recently completed his second sign language course and through his persuasion sign language training is provided for the rest of the staff. Being a musician he uses different techniques in his teaching, e.g. he uses body percussion to assist with the teaching of Mathematics. He has made an in-depth study of the curriculum and adapts it with ease to make its implementation more successful.

He has also worked with learners from Alpha School for Autism, Blouvlei and Mary Harding Special Schools with great success. Mr Bussy works tirelessly to improve himself and his teaching tools, whilst networking with professionals and encouraging learners.

He has given up many weekends promoting the integration of main stream and special needs school activities and has successfully pioneered programmes across platforms throughout. He goes beyond the requirements of his professional bodies and job description and has selflessly spent hours in workshops and tutorials to enhance the understanding of facilitators and educators.

Mr Bussy is currently also taking up his biggest challenge - teaching Design to Grade 10 learners at FET level. Teaching Design also means teaching Language by inventing strategies as he goes along. The pleasure of seeing his learners encountering new concepts and discovering a world hidden from them by spoken language is always a pleasure.

He believes that he has come full circle, finding that special needs teaching offers a field which can feed his curiosity and challenge his experimental nature.

Excellence in Primary School Teaching

Motivation:

Ms Vanessa Jacobs has been in education for 11 years, teaching in the Intermediate Phase at De Kuilen Primary. She demonstrates a deep passion and love for teaching children. She sets a perfect example for all educators by being well versed in the subjects she teaches and plays a leading role in the Intermediate Phase of her school. She is a Grade Head and is Subject Head for History. Ms Jacobs sees proper planning as non-negotiable and has compiled a curriculum booklet for Afrikaans as First Additional Language to assist staff in her phase in their planning. At her previous school, she compiled modules for History and English. In addition, she compiled Maths worksheets with step by step instructions for parents to assist their children at home.

Ms Jacobs teaches introductory lessons to her entire grade group at their request. On top of this she initiated a very successful Homework Buddy system in her class. After school she assists Xhosa speaking learners who experience difficulties because of the language barrier.

Ms Jacobs has a strong work ethic and extends her classroom by running various programs in her school and community. She ran a holiday project with Brooklands Primary and a holiday programme with BADISA for children that live on Hazendal wine estate. A very successful anti-bullying programme ran for a month. She co-ordinates a Character Building Programme and developed a Leadership Development Programme for the student council. She heads a team of very enthusiastic and dedicated teachers responsible for values education in the school and runs a complete year long programme on values. Learner social skills are developed with Higher Ground, a community-based camping association that specialises in experiential learning.

Ms Jacobs ensures collaboration amongst teachers and sets a perfect example with her modest personality. Her contributions are very much appreciated and very highly spoken of by the entire staff and parent community. She lives by the following quote "intelligence plus character - that is the goal of true education", Martin Luther King Jr.

Excellence in Secondary School Teaching

Motivation:

Mr Isaac Langeveldt started his teaching career in 1998; hereafter he was promoted to Head of Department at Swellendam Secondary School. He is responsible for the school hostel and has created space in an unused section of the hostel for a group of disabled learners from other schools.

Mr Langeveldt believes that planning and structure is key in striking a balance between an administrative role and being a brilliant teacher. He is of the opinion that the curriculum is the core business of any school and as a passionate History teacher he boasts with a consistent matriculation pass rate of between 97 and 100%. He believes that the pacing of assessments is essential and extra support should be given to learners who repeat or are at risk. Planning, reflecting, dramatization, cartoons, teaching how to write essays, keywords - learners hate long essays, the use of technology and continually looking for ways to make learning fun, are but some of the strategies the candidate employs to meet the needs of every learner in the classroom.

Mr Langeveldt believes that it has become important in the life of any teacher to stay a few steps ahead of learners, because by the time the teacher walks into the class to deliver the lesson, the learners have already Googled the latest developments and information; teachers have to be at the cutting edge of knowledge. The candidate believes that professional development is first and foremost the responsibility of each teacher. He has a clear personal growth plan where shortcomings and gaps are identified, both internal and external. He has already undertaken to enlist for courses that will be presented at the Cape Teaching and Leadership Institute in 2015. Initiatives undertaken by the candidate for the entire staff include capacity building in content knowledge, workshops for the different subjects and a curriculum leadership and management workshop.

He further believes in the optimal use of available resources, irrespective of how limited they are. Mr Langeveldt was instrumental in getting community workers to assist in keeping the school clean and to act as security on the premises for both the learners' safety as well as that of the building.

Social challenges faced by the school where the candidate teaches are not any different to any other suburban school. For some learners the use of dagga is cultural, meth amphetamine is a scourge and HIV/AIDS is rife at the school. To deal with and counter these challenges the school is in partnership with the different state departments as well as NGO's and community organisations to combat and limit the effects of substance abuse.

Mr Langeveldt believes in the importance of extra- and co-curricular activities and the dividends it brings. The 12 core outcomes in the curriculum are supported and strengthened when learners are physically active and participate in movement activities. With these types of engagements he believes that learners are taught to be good team players, to have respect and to drive acceptable values.

Mr Langeveldt is convinced that a combination of commitment, perseverance, loyalty, passion, dedication, tenacity, sincerity, reliability and the fact that he is a change-and-transformation agent, are what separates him from the rest of his colleagues.

Excellence in Technology - Enhanced Teaching and Learning Award

Motivation:

To teach, to witness the joy and pleasure on the faces of learners and to experience their "light bulb" moments with them, are some of the highlights in education for Mr Alan Felix. Helping people, managing and seeing projects through to the end, pulling through, sharing what is learnt, participating, doing classroom make-overs, comparing, competing, and creating opportunities for all children are but some of the things that excite Mr Felix.

Mr Felix is currently the principal at Ruststasie Primary School. He believes that that our country's history compels us all to promote the acquisition of skills and build the economy. He does extra-ordinary things with learners from rural farming communities, such as building and repairing old computers and designing screen savers on xenophobia.

Mr Felix influences teaching and learning through Information Communication and Technology (ICT) with love and compassion and sharing. He reaches out and provides information technology training for all the teachers in the circuit. He supports learners to use computers with ease and he further believes in finishing what is started, understands the role of building blocks and has no illusions about Rome having been built in a day.

He equips learners to use Information Technology in ways that support knowledge building and learning beyond the classroom. High school learners from other schools use the computer lab at the school to do assignments and research.

When the candidate came to the school one and a half years ago, he found a computer lab in disuse with computers that were all broken. Single-handedly, the computers were painstakingly repaired and are currently fully functional and in perfect working order. The entire school has Wi-Fi, which has opened up a new world for the learners of this farm school. The surrounding community has full access to the computer lab after school hours. A young man in the community is currently being trained, to later provide training to members of the community on computer skills. Very soon the centre will become an internet kiosk with funding sourced by Mr Felix from an American organisation.

He has developed an application for principals in the circuit where circuit information can be sourced quickly and easily. The candidate has also developed an application for all teachers in the circuit where lesson plans, activities, assessment tasks, sample questions and good practice are posted and shared. This app also has links for learners, which includes a variety of dictionaries.

Mr Felix uses team viewing, Dropbox, communications and Google-calendar to support functions other than teaching and learning.

He states that learners learn differently and therefore it is crucial that ICT must be used to accommodate the different learning styles of learners. Mr Felix indicates that he is fascinated by the use of group work in the computer lab and by how much children learn from other children. He exposes learners to web-linked lessons with web-based links to the specifics. He also allows learners to develop their own PowerPoint presentations.

Mr Felix transforms ordinary practices into extra-ordinary experiences for learners in and out of the classroom through the use of competitions, allowing learners to take pictures and upload them, teaching learners how to structure wiki's, to do designs on computers and transfer them onto their own sweaters, using the CAMI Mathematics programme and arranging competitions for class against class. He is mindful of the fact that Mathematics at the school needs to grow and focuses special attention on programmes that support this important endeavour. To experience the joy that a learner experiences when participating in taking old computers and building new ones, is magical.

Examples of products created by learners include design-to-shift, the layout of the school site, PowerPoint presentations, oral presentations and Word documents.

In addressing social challenges through the use of ICT, access to information is crucial. Mr Felix is currently writing a proposal on poverty and the use of ICT, and hopes to find a funder to make the project a reality at the school.

Mr Felix believes that helping others comes naturally, doing extra things for multi-grade schools to make the lives of teachers easier, the right amount of passion, energy, tenacity, innovation and love for kids are what sets him apart from other ICT teachers. He is a nation builder, networker and life changer.

Excellence in teaching Mathematics

Motivation:

Ms Mariana Viljoen is the appropriate candidate for this category because of a deep sense of connectedness with learners, a genuine interest in their well-being and an almost religious belief that through the teaching of Mathematics, only good can come from such a relationship with learners and that their mental and intellectual development must always be put at the forefront.

She treats all learners equal, fair and with the utmost respect. Learners are given equal opportunities both inside and outside her classroom. Their dignity is regarded as holy and non-negotiable, they are taught to believe in themselves and every attempt is made, through the teaching of Mathematics, to build their self-esteem.

She teaches learners to be self-reliant and not to depend on the teacher or other learners. A deep sense of self-respect and a belief in the self is cultivated, which is so necessary for building a successful future South Africa. Ms Viljoen believes that failure is just another learning opportunity to become excellent and this is modelled in daily Maths lessons. Although peer-teaching is used as part of learning, the ultimate aim is to instil confidence and fearlessness in the learners to do Mathematics. She starts at the lower levels to accommodate learners who are struggling with Mathematics, while excellent learners are continuously challenged with work of a higher order. In this way the abilities of all learners are continuously sharpened. An interactive white board is generously used in the teaching process and "Doc Viewer" is also applied, to good effect.

She models lifelong learning through her regular attendance of WCED workshops and information sessions; CAPS meetings and regular interactions with the Mathematics Curriculum Adviser at the District Office, whom she regards highly as an excellent source of information and motivation.

Ms Viljoen goes to great lengths to promote Mathematics and especially pure Mathematics amongst learners, keeping in mind that not all learners are capable of offerering the subject. Regular discussions are held with learners about career options in the field of Mathematics. Learners are assisted to attend career expos and are also guided to apply for bursaries for further studies. All learners are motivated to believe in themselves and a winning feeling is cultivated amongst them.

Extra lessons are part of the daily routine of the candidate. She visits individual learner's homes to be acquainted with their personal and domestic circumstances. In that way a package, tailor-made for the individual leaner's needs, is put together to assist the learner in the best possible way with the studying of Maths. The candidate provides learners with conceptualisation challenges with books to read to improve their understanding of the abstract world of Mathematics. She also uses Chess to sharpen learners' minds and different forms of art to calm them and prepare them for the challenges of Mathematics.

Through her involvement in extra-curricular activities at the school, Ms Viljoen meets learners at another level and uses the opportunity to build their self-esteem and develop a winning attitude.

She assisted one of the local primary schools, Zwehlihle Primary, with curriculum matters related to Maths teaching. The candidate is also involved with the tutoring of Maths at local secondary schools, Qhayiya and Umyezo. This clearly demonstrates her commitment to improve the quality of Maths teaching in the broader community. The candidate is also a senior marker for the Grade 12 Mathematics Literacy question papers. She works tirelessly to ensure that Mathematics remains a focus subject at the school due to the status of the school as a Dinaledi School. The candidate drives the Dinaledi Project at the school. Apart from the above, the candidate is also involved in the annual Spring School project and the Kip McGrath support programme. Both projects are aimed at providing additional support programmes to learners in Maths.

It is clear that Ms Viljoen's "out of the box" approach to the teaching of Mathematics has had extremely positive spin-offs for learners, the teacher and the school. The Mathematics results of the school have been well above the norm in the recent past. Both the pass rate and quality of results have shown marked improvements. The candidate has also succeeded in increasing the number of learners who offer Maths and Science, especially girls and learners from disadvantaged backgrounds at the school.

Ms Viljoen is a worthy winner of this category because - she has a strong focus on the holistic development of the child; puts great emphasis on the personal growth of learners; is a true model of lifelong learning; is passionate about the teaching of Mathematics; works actively against a culture of dependency through the teaching of Mathematics; shows a genuine interest in the personal and domestic circumstances of learners; is an on-going resource of the content and effective teaching of Maths to her colleagues and the learners, and does not allow personal setbacks and failures from achieving set goals and aims.

Excellence in Primary School Leadership

Motivation:

It is remarkable how one person can make an immense difference to a school, irrespective of how poor its state, bad its socio-economic circumstances, wide its cultural diversity and/or seemingly insurmountable its challenges.

Mr Simon Speelman fits this profile. His inclusive and collective leadership style has changed a divided staff into a happy, positive and formidable team of teachers. They have a shared vision and focus in everything they do on the holistic development of the learners. Previously some members resisted diversity on the staff but Mr Speelman led them to appreciate the true value of diversity. At present the composition of the staff is well-balanced in terms of race, gender and culture. He has a charismatic approach and a clear vision, is a meticulous planner and is compassionate, yet assertive. His school provides ample evidence of his consistency, effectiveness, commitment, insightfulness, passion and successful achievement of sustainability. In a very short period of two and a half years, he has had a major impact on the educators, learners and school community.

Without any reserves in the school account it seemed almost impossible to finance any improvements. The principal, however, has built-up many contacts in the business community and the education sector for the benefit of the school. Many partnerships were formed between the school and organisations, e.g. DJ Murray Trust, Butterfly Foundation, Grace Foundation, Bongiwe Trust, the University of the Western Cape, Tom Barlow and JAM. Students from the HAN University in the Netherlands run a reading programme at the school as part of their internship. This enabled him, amongst others, to refit the computer lab with new equipment, and educators, learners and members of the community now receive regular training in computer literacy. The school buildings have been renovated, toilets have been replaced and a new library has been built and fitted with shelves. The administration block, foyer, kitchen and duplicating room were refurbished and the safety of the school upgraded.

The attitude of the community towards the school has changed from apathy to enthusiastic involvement. All school activities are now extremely well supported and attended by the whole community. In a community rife with social ills, he has become a beacon of pastoral guidance, and he manages to fulfil many roles, ranging from the counselling of drug addicts to the sourcing of work for the destitute. He maintains high visibility in the parent community and has a formal programme to ensure regular quarterly visits by all staff to every learner's home - no wonder then that he has achieved 100% attendance at parent meetings. Through his initiatives the school is represented on the management committees of eight community forums.

In spite of his full programme and involvement in all aspects of community life, Mr Speelman is currently studying towards obtaining an Advance Certificate in School Leadership at the University of Stellenbosch and has inspired five of his staff members to do the same. He optimally uses IQMS to develop his staff individually through a personal development plan and collectively through relevant courses. 80% of the staff have already had training at CTLI. He has seen to the training of non-teaching staff members to ensure effective and efficient administration and maintenance is regularly carried out at the school. The governing body was lauded for being the only SGB who attended all training courses.

Mr Speelman is a master of the curriculum. He ensures the implementation thereof in every class. To him planning, preparation, implementation, evaluation and monitoring is key to quality teaching and learning. He keeps his fingers on the progress of each class through a well-devised monitoring system, effective moderation and class visits. The staff have fully bought into the above.

Mr Simon Speelman is a leader and principal of note and therefore a most worthy recipient of this award.

Excellence in Secondary School Leadership

Motivation:

Mr Dennis Karelse has been the principal of the school for the past four years. This very vibrant school leader has transformed a former exclusively white (former Model C) school into a successfully inclusive school catering for Grades R to 12.

Mr Karelse is a creative problem solver with an open door policy, which has made it possible for the candidate to eradicate the racism, drug abuse and gangsterism that was rife at the school. He has an excellent understanding of what it takes to transform a school community through the modelling of respect and compassion. He knows the name of every learner at the school and this, coupled with a sincere and genuine interest in their well-being and development, was the perfect mix for the process of change at the school.

He has shown agility as a manager through the revamping of administrative processes at the school that were on the verge of collapse. By delegating responsibilities to staff members and introducing monitoring systems he created an optimally-functioning school that can compete with the best. The introduction of the Principal Primary Programme into the administration system of the school has simplified the recording of FET subject marks and the analysis of quarterly results. Unlimited access to the internet at the school helps staff and learners with tasks and homework.

Mr Karelse stays well ahead of education matters by attending all Western Cape Education Department (WCED) workshops and meetings. The candidate also successfully completed an Advanced Certificate in Education: School Leadership at the University of Stellenbosch. He succeeds in keeping his staff positive towards the WCED and continuously reminds them that they are the WCED. He is on top of the latest developments in the field of Information Communication Technology (ICT), is a South African Schools Rugby selector, leads the school choir and has a drama group at the school.

He communicates well with the teachers and learners of the school through an open door policy. Through the teaching of Life Orientation, Mr Karelse stays in touch with learner needs, the vibe among them and broader community matters. He always seeks learners' responses to challenges with teachers. The candidate has regularly scheduled sessions with his teachers in the mornings, which is used to build a positive team spirit through the use humour and fun. He has a good sense of humour.

Since he models the image of lifelong learning so well, he has succeeded in encouraging the teaching staff to attend education conferences at the Cape Teaching and Leadership Institute as well as training sessions and WCED workshops. In so doing Mr Karelse demonstrates the ability to get staff to buy into the vision of lifelong learning. He is both an inspiration and motivation to the community of the town. He is well respected and admired.

Mr Karelse clearly understands what is required to establish and maintain a culture of quality education. As principal he leads by example with the high standards of excellence in teaching and learning that he sets. In the past four years the school has achieved an average pass percentage of 98% for Grade 12 (2011: 100% pass; 2013: 100% pass).

He has also shown a clear understanding of the impact of socio-economic circumstances on learner performance, but uses it to motivate and inspire them. The school has applied for bursaries for learners to further their studies, through Mr Karelse's initiative. The school assists learners in their applications to HEI's. Limited resources are not regarded as a stumbling block to achieve success. Each teacher at the school is allocated to a Grade 12 learner to support and motivate them.

The candidate is very strong in building relations and understands the needs of the school community. He has two values that drive his ambition to achieve a successful school: respect and love. Through well-meaning actions and ways Mr Karelse started a Proudly High School Campaign, the wearing of the school uniform was made compulsory and a reward system for learners was introduced. He introduced an SMS communication system (SMSWEB) at school whereby he communicates directly with parents regarding their children's progress, school activities and academic matters. Through the SMS system parent attendance at parent meetings stands at an average of 90%. The focus is also placed on individual learners with challenges and in so doing, their dignity is restored and they are re-introduced into the school community. Gangsterism and drug abuse has been eradicated from the school. In the four years as principal at the school it has not been necessary for the candidate to conduct a single disciplinary hearing.

Through the fostering of partnerships with local businesses, which were difficult to establish in the beginning, learners benefited further. A local business in town sponsors an annual leadership programme for 20 learners from the school. This is another attempt to build strong leadership and role models at the school. He has invited well-known rugby players and Louis Oosthuizen, renowned international golfer, to address learners on leadership and to inspire and motivate them. Through the candidate's persistent engagement with the local authority, R15 000 was made available as a bursary for the Dux learners of the school to study at a Higher Education Institution.

Mr Karelse has turned a failing school, that was on its way to destruction, around into a place of excellence and quality which has become the pride of the town and surrounding areas. More and more parents now want to enrol their children at the school. He is a leader who understands both the moral and legal obligations toward the school and the community. Mr Karelse is solution orientated and believes that for every problem there is a solution. He is a beacon of hope to the learners of the school, is a motivator par excellence, sets an example and leads from the front. The candidate is consistent, lives according to the fundamental truth that your word is your honour and clearly has a great passion for education. Mr Karelse is a worthy winner of this category.

Lifetime Achievement Award

Motivation:

Ms Mary Visagie's teaching career started in 1970 and she is in her 44th year of teaching. She is a living testimony of a South African who has dedicated her life to improving the lives of the marginalised and disadvantaged learners of our country.

As a teacher, one of her primary aims from the beginning of her career was to build the self-esteem of learners and to take them beyond their socio-economic environments that have devastating effects on the children of our country. Through participation in many community organisations Ms Visagie has actively and successfully dealt with the impact and effects of social challenges on the learners of the school and especially the broader community where the school is located. Her activism and relentless, almost ruthless, drive to tackle the social challenges of drug abuse, child molestation, HIV-AIDS prevalence, petty crimes etc. has led to the upliftment of the community of Conville and environs and has resulted in the binding of the community into a well-knit unit, with the school at its core.

With diligence and passion, Ms Visagie has religiously continued with the teaching of the values and norms of good citizenship and worked hard to ensure that it is instilled in learners to make them aware of their role in society and to encourage them to become active and well balanced citizens. Learners have been taught to expect only the best from themselves, despite the many negative socio-economic challenges that they face daily.

The number of community organisations she has served on throughout her teaching career to realise her dreams and aspirations is a testimony of her endless and unwavering commitment to really make a difference in the lives of children. She has served as a Committee Member involved with the writing of the new Child Sex Act.

As Subject Head and teacher of English First Additional Language she has taught learners to use English as a powerful tool of self-reliance, and to assert themselves as a way to build their self-esteem. She thrives in an environment with a diverse composition and plans lessons around uniqueness and commonalities where learners are encouraged to celebrate their diversity. Current policies in teaching are a tool to enhance teaching practices, and activities in class are planned around diversity and transformation.

Colleagues are inspired to be creative and innovative. The candidate plays a leading role in her subject group. The candidate has the ability to push colleagues, learners and parents to make informative decisions that changes the school into a beacon of hope for the community. Learners and colleagues are inspired to take part in developmental activities which have a positive impact on classroom activities.

This very innovative lifelong-learner has applied a variety of teaching and assessment strategies learned over the years, to meet the individual needs of every learner in her class. She regards English as a vital communication tool. She has achieved remarkably good results with the teaching of English as an additional language and succeeded in demystifying the language as a not so "scary animal" to rural communities.

She is a strong advocate of co- and extra-curricular activities, and actively leads from the front. It is her belief that it assists in developing the learners holistically. Her learners participate in Eisteddfods and have achieved great results.

Her role as a community activist is legendary. Despite her appearance she is a fearless campaigner who "skrik vir niks". During weekends she accompanies the police on their patrols, on the lookout for underage children at taverns (legal and illegal). She calls public accountability meetings where community matters are discussed. She organises workshops on HIV-AIDS and ropes state departments such as Health, Social Service, Justice in to assist as well as NGOs. Ms Visagie has made a lasting impact on her colleagues, the learners and the community by being a role model and mentor.

Learning, leading and teaching are her passions. Educating children and developing people's abilities is Ms Visagies' vision and mission. She is truly a woman for all seasons. This principled, centred leader with a profound commitment to Ubuntu and an impeccable sense of justice and fairness is a worthy of recipient of this award.

Media enquiries:
Jessica Shelver
Spokesperson for the Minister of Education, Debbie Schäfer
Western Cape Education Department
Tel: 076 175 0663