Top teacher awarded

DURBAN Girls’ High School teacher, Alison Bastable, was recently awarded the Via Afrika Publishers’ People’s Choice Award, as one of the country’s greatest teachers.

The awards were given to teachers who have changed the lives of the people in their community, a teacher who has gone the extra mile, someone who made a difference in pupils’ lives.

Via Afrika, in partnership with the Department of Basic education, acknowledged these special people with the award and Alison was awarded this prestigious accolade, trophy, R40 000 and a trip to Victoria Falls recently.

President Zuma congratulated the winners and Minister Angie Motshekga honoured the country’s greatest teachers at the ceremony, live on SABC2.

“To say I was overwhelmed at winning this award, is putting it mildly. I was brought up to ‘to give and not to count the cost, to labour and not to ask for any reward except that of knowing that we do God’s will’, so all that has been accomplished through me during my 43 years of teaching has been for no reason other than being God’s hands and feet,” said Alison.

She said Stella Pre-Primary School, catering primarily for children from the local informal settlements, had been at the heart of DGHS ever since it was opened 20 years ago, so they were the obvious choice when it came to deciding what to do with the R40 000 she was awarded. One of the ‘classrooms’ at Stella was a single garage with no ceiling, only a tiny window and a cold concrete floor. Over the years, up to 23 Grade 00 children at a time have been taught in this confined space.

“It was again overwhelming when the all new improved classroom was opened. The blue group now have a classroom double the size of the old one, with an insulated laminated floor, to help stop colds and flu in winter, a ceiling and magnificent glass doors to let in the light. There are new tables and chairs, cupboards and a reading mat. Inspired by small beginnings, other people too have contributed towards the upgrade and now a magnificent tarred cycle and car track, balancing wall and astro-turf have replaced the sandy play area in front of the classroom,” said Alison.

Also as a result of her award, DGHS is to receive R200 000 worth of computer lab, compliments of Telkom Foundation.

“When people ask me what I teach, I always say ‘children’ rather than ‘Afrikaans’ or any of the other subjects I have taught during my career, including running a pre-school. I see learners as whole people, not just as a percentage mark, and Interact has been the perfect outlet for their hearts to develop as well as their brains. Over the past 18 years, DGHS Interact Club has shown love and care for thousands of people. They have also raised almost R1 000 000 and given it all away!” she said.

This was a wonderful priviledge for the teacher, especially since she is retiring at the end of the year.