IN its more than 50-year history, Greenwood Park Primary School has never had a woman principal.
That is until now as the school announced that Desiré White would lead the school.
White takes over from former principal Ian Africa who stepped down last February and who had been principal for 21 years.
The Greenwood Park resident has dedicated 38 years to education and has taught at St Teresa’s School in Sydenham, Eastwood Secondary in Pietermaritzburg, Barracuda Primary School in Newlands East and has been at the Greenwood Park Primary School for the last 13 years.
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“When I was informed by the provincial department of education that I had been appointed, I was quite emotional. I had a tear in my eye. It is an honour to lead the school, especially as I’m the first woman principal in the school’s history. The staff, learners, governing body and parents have been so supportive and welcoming,” she said.
White started her tertiary education at Bechet Teachers’ College where she obtained a Diploma in Education. She would then go on to further her studies at the University of KwaZulu-Natal (UKZN) where she completed an Honours and Master’s Degree in Education.
Speaking on her vision for the school, White touched on several factors with emphasis on establishing the school’s first-ever library and, in years to come, introducing coding and robotics.
“I’m passionate about education and I have a vision incorporating several goals. The first would be to forge good relationships between the school and the community. I’m also passionate about literacy, and I would like to ensure our reading levels are improved. One of the ways I feel this would happen is to have our own library. We do have a mobile library, but I would love to have an established space for learners to read, take books out and just grow.
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“As the world enters the Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR) I would also love to introduce coding and robotics. I know other schools have begun piloting those subjects, but I would love for learners from our school to also have access to the very same opportunities others have,” she said.
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