Farewell to three education giants
1 April 2021
The WCED has recently said farewell to the three education giants.
While two of these three senior officials have retired, Brian Schreuder (Head of Education) and Dr Peter Beets (Deputy Director-General: Curriculum and Assessment Management), we have also had to recently bid farewell to our respected and admired District Director, Sanette Nowers, (Metro Central) who sadly passed away suddenly in March 2021.
The passing of Nowers, has left a void in many of our hearts, both at Head Office, districts across the Province and especially in Metro Central.
The Metro Central Education District (MCED) held a special memorial service for the late District Director, Ms Sanette Nowers at Oude Molen Technical High School on Friday, 19 March 2021.
Principal of Kenwyn Primary, Brent Morgenrood represented the MCED Principals’ Forum at the memorial service. Morgenrood remembered Nowers for her efforts to make education better for all our learners in the province. He expressed that Nowers devoted her life and time to education and was known and loved for her leadership qualities.
“When we look at the success stories of the Metro Central Education District, we can definitely confirm that Director Nowers has laid a strong and solid foundation and I’m sure that her wish would be for us to continue her legacy,” said Morgenrood.
In an emotional and touching tribute, Brenda Robertson, Head: Management and Governance, said that Nowers touched the lives of district staff, teachers, learners and even parents. She said that learner placement was at the heart of Nowers’ work and she tried to ensure that the district assisted as many children as soon as possible as she knew how important this was to parents to be assured that their child was in a school.
While we have mourned the loss of Ms Nowers, we have also celebrated her life and dedicated service to education.
Over the past month, we have also been celebrating the education careers of our Head of Department, Brian Schreuder, and our Deputy Director-General: Curriculum and Assessment Management, Dr Peter Beets for their invaluable service to education.
There have been several engagements throughout the Province where we have laughed, cried and applauded as these two remarkable and committed officials were acknowledged.
At one such event, however, in a touching speech by Dr. Glynis Schreuder, Chief Education Specialist: FET Schools Curriculum, she said about Dr Beets, “You are truly a remarkable man with many talents, and I thank God for you and for the years he granted you to us as a leader; a leader who brought a particular perspective and dynamic to curriculum in the WCED. Thank you for always being professional; for always being humble; for always putting others first.”
Minister Schafer acknowledged Mr Schreuder’s lifelong work and his nearly five decades of outstanding service to education. “I wish you a restful and relaxing retirement, but your character clearly does not lend itself to too much leisure! I have no doubt that you will continue to make a contribution to our cause of delivering quality education to every learner in our province, or wherever else you have the opportunity."
In many of the tributes to Mr Schreuder, his strong leadership as HOD was acknowledged, particularly during Covid-19 times, and his contribution towards the LITNUM strategy, E-learning strategy and Transform to Perform.
We would like to thank both Mr Schreuder and Dr Beets for their committed service and wish them both a happy and fulfilling retirement.
All three of these education giants are true examples of what is means to serve the learners of this Province.