THE foyer of Hillcrest Primary School has Nelson Mandela’s famous words, “Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world” adorning its foyer and it’s new principal is a firm believer in the iconic statement.
Raj Kemraj has been a key player in moulding South Africa’s future generations for more than two decades. His time at the school began with the role of a Grade 7 teacher, a position he cherished for 18 years. “When I was appointed as a teacher, I was the only male teacher at the school,” laughed Kemraj.
Teaching has always been his passion and before he took up a position at the local school he had been teaching for 10 years. “I believe that had I not come to this school at that time, I would have been forced to go into another career. Hillcrest Primary School has always been an area where teachers have been given the flexibility and freedom to be themselves as educators,” said the impassioned headmaster.
He was then promoted to Head of Department and soon after was offered the role of deputy principal, which he held for five years. In 2016 he was the school’s acting principal and said he was nothing short of elated when he was announced as the head of the school from this year.
“This is the school I have always wanted to be in,” he said. “I live near the old Durban airport and that is a lot of travelling every day to come to school. If I didn’t love this place, I would have looked for something closer ages ago. This is the best place to be and a place where one can really make a difference.”
There are 160 staff at the school and described his team as highly motivated and quipped that this made his job a lot easier.
“Teaching allows you to make a difference in someone’s life. It starts with the child, and you see them grow up, mature and leave. It is when they come back later on in life and you see their full growth – no other career allows that,” said Kemraj.
One of the memories that has stayed with him all these years was during a race group survey. “People need to be like children because they don’t see race. Some children don’t know what race group they fall under. One child was asked if he was Indian and he replied ‘no’ and said that he was in fact a Christian,” he laughed.
While he loves teaching, Kemarj also has a passion for the future, and holds an honours degree in IT communication and information. “There are huge areas and opportunities for the school. We have a strong IT focus and have implemented an infrastructure that will carry us through for the next 15 years at least. We have the backbone in place for where education is going. Aside from the world of computers, Kemraj also has a host of exciting new plans, one of which includes the upgrade of the prefab structures to brick and lessen the school’s carbon footprint through various projects.
“To be the principal is an opportunity that I don’t take lightly. I have been given the responsibility of a position in an extremely well run school. I am looking forward to being in the role and am fully committed to this institution. There isn’t any other school like this. From children, staff and parents, I couldn’t ask for a better school.
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