PITLOCHRY Primary School in Westville welcomed its new principal, Dhanabalan Padayachee, who was appointed on 1 June.
The confident principal has 33 years of experience in teaching.
He began his career in education as a science teacher in Dundee Secondary School in 1985 and remained there for six years. He then spent a year at Witteklip Secondary School in Chatsworth before he finally settled at Cententary Secondary School in Asherville.
He began teaching as a level 1 teacher, progressed to head of department and then deputy principal.
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He said it was his passion for teaching and working with children that prompted his career choice. He is extremely passionate about maths and science education in particular.
“I’m pleased to be empowered to manage and lead this school in particular. In my analysis of the school thus far, I found the learners to be extremely academically inclined and I see them as little Einsteins which is far from the picture we get when we transition to secondary level of primary school,” said Padayachee.
He added that he is grateful to be able to prepare the learners for secondary school.
“I am amazed at the transition that happens here academically and socially when learners transit from primary to secondary phases. I’m confident that the learners from this school will be more than adequately prepared for the transition to excel at secondary level,” said Padayachee.
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He said he is pleased to have a dedicated and cooperative staff which is open to progressive thinking, particularly in the use of technology in the improvement and quality of teaching.
Padayachee is looking at business partners to take the school into the world of cutting-edge technology.
He said the areas of focus are communication to parents and exposure of learners to advanced technology so that they may be able to neutralise knowledge and skills in the science field.
“This vision is shared by the school governing body who wholeheartedly support this strategic programme the school is about to embark on. Learners in the school need to be proud of their quality of education and values they have been taught and actively practice at the school and in life. Learners can be assured that we will be adequately prepared for academic excellence,” said Padayachee.
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