POLOKWANE – Curro Heuwelkruin’s new Operational Head, Freddie du Preez is excited to use his years of experience in the field of education to make a success of his new post.
Freddie was born in Middelburg and grew up in Grootvlei. He went to Belford High School and studied at Normaal Kollege Pretoria (NKP). His first position was at Thabazimbi Primary School.
“About nine months after my first position as a teacher, I relocated to Polokwane where I was a teacher at Pietersburg Laerskool. It was here that I met my wife, Mariaan and both our children were born in the city,” he explains. “I decided to go into the private sector after 11 years in education, doing construction work. It was during this time that I realised I love being a teacher,” he says.
He returned to teaching after five years in the construction industry and became a teacher at Middelburg Primary School where he taught for six years. “I decided to come back to Polokwane and applied for this position.”
Over the years, Freddie taught geography, physical exercise, life orientation and Bible study.
“I realised I wanted to teach when I was in Gr 7 and had to present a project about the Trans-Siberian Railway. I prepared charts and transparencies and I honestly enjoyed it. In high school, I was head boy at the hostel and had to look after the primary school learners and their well-being.”
Freddie explains that teaching now does not differ much from years ago, as a child stays a child. The role of the teacher is to educate children values and norms.
Mariaan and his children, Lieneke (15), and Stephan (13), will join Freddy in December. Mariaan will work as personal assistant at Heuwelkruin High School.
“I will also teach life orientation from next year but for now, I’m just getting used to Curro’s structures and systems.”
