Hoërskool Birchleigh welcomed a long-serving teacher as its first female principal.
Carmen Govender has been described as a visionary educationalist with a career spanning 28 years in school education and management.
Born in KwaZulu-Natal, Govender grew up in a town called Phoenix.
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She left her home and family to start her career as a level one Afrikaans teacher at Hoërskool Birchleigh, under the leadership and mentorship of Andre Gloy and the school’s management team. Gloy was the school’s principal and retired in March.
Govender obtained her B.Paed Honours degree and her diploma in human resources from the University of Durban Westville in KwaZulu-Natal, which specialised in educational leadership, curriculum development and strategic planning.
She has been a passionate teacher for 20 years with a subject specialisation in English home language.
Govender has been in the school’s management for eight years, as HOD and acting deputy principal.
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She currently serves as a deputy chief marker in the NSC Grade 12 exam and is a district and provincial moderator.
“My vision for the school is to create a learning environment where all teachers and learners feel safe and respected despite their different backgrounds and abilities, achieve academic excellence by empowering learners with the skills needed to further their tertiary studies or take their place in the working world,” said Govender.
She also aims to promote diversity and inclusivity – both in and outside the classroom – with unlimited opportunities in the sport and cultural fields.
Govender’s vision has always been to make a difference in society and inculcate values in learners so that they can positively contribute and make a difference in their own communities and society.
The mother of two is passionate about community development and aims to assist in community projects and help past Grade 12 learners who are rewriting or upgrading their English marks with extra lessons and resources.
