This is according to Johan Janse van Rensburg, principal of Frans du Toit High School in Phalaborwa after Xitsonga and Geography educator, Alfred Mokgalaka, was crowned the 2022 Best Teacher in South Africa on Thursday, October 19 at the CSIR International Convention Centre in Pretoria.
Janse van Rensburg said he was not surprised when Mokgalaka won the national award, “because he always gives 100% in everything he does”.
Meanwhile Mokgalaka was modest when speaking to the Herald.
He said all he knows is that he loves his work. “I’m fortunate to be paid for doing what I love, I always have fun teaching. It feels great that my efforts to transform learners’ lives are recognise.
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The man who was born in Giyani boasts 29-years of experience in the education field and 16-years at his current school.
Growing up he wanted to study medicine, but ended up studying teaching and he says he could not be happier.
In 2020 he started online classes for Xitsonga in order to assist his learners to catch up on lost time caused by the Covid-19 pandemic.
The platform eventually turned out to be utilised by learners from other provinces too such as Gauteng and Mpumalanga.
He is also the head of African languages at the school and forms part of the management team.
Apart from teaching, he is a recording RnB artist, a film maker and a soccer coach, both at the school and in the community.
The school hosted a welcome back celebration ceremony for Mokgalaka on Friday.
The man of the moment was overwhelmed by the messages he has been receiving from all walks of life and thanked Janse van Rensburg and his colleagues, including learners, for the support.
