History is made: After decades, Drommedaris gets female principal

Former Oos Rand Secondary School deputy principal Delyse Merle Sampson has been appointed as the new principal of the primary school, making history as the first woman to ever head the school since its establishment many decades ago.

August 1 marked a very significant moment for the institution when it officially welcomed Sampson to take up her new appointment as a principal of the school.

Drommedaris is reportedly one of the oldest primary schools in the township and was formerly located near the civic centre where the mosque is. In the 70s it moved to the current building, which was back then occupied by Oos Rand Secondary – the first secondary school which served Stirtonville township before it was then renamed Reiger Park.
“So, if you like, you can say I’m going back to the original Oos Rand Secondary School building,” said Sampson with a chuckle.

Sampson admitted that globally women who take the reins of power have always prompted mixed reactions, but that behaviour has been gradually subsiding in many sectors, including the department of education, over the past years.
She told the Advertiser that she was physically and mentally prepared to go to serve the school and represent the department.

“I received good advice from the department, my mentors and colleagues to go there and do my job well.
“I have met with my new staff there and they are an awesome team that I will be able to get along with pretty well, and it’s a beautiful school with a lot of potential.

The new head said she is aware that she is going to fill big shoes.

“What I remember growing up about Drommedaris is that the school had very strong principals who have left a very good legacy. They delivered very strong academic children, and many of the professionals in our community are products of that school.
“I was also competing with strong candidates and I’m truly humbled by the trust and the confidence of the panel to choose me for the possession.

“We are here to serve our communities as educators and I always say you will never arrive in life because the road of life never ends. There is no finish line; you keep going until the day you die.
“Also, I strongly believe in promotion comes from the Lord and thank you the Lord for His grace in affording me this opportunity.”

On behalf of the Oos Rand Secondary School staff and learners, the principal extended their warmest congratulations to Sampson on her new appointment.

Key priority
When asked if she had already identified areas that would need to be relooked and changed, Sampson said she still needed time to observe and see how the school operates.
She, however, stated that based on what she has seen in her school environment, teachers need to try and inculcate in their learners a good work ethic, and to make sure that primary school learners are being prepared for high school and ultimately for life after high school.

“Primary school for me plays a key role in the foundation of the learner. And I am confident that with my great team at Drommendaris we can make sure that we make a strong foundation for our learners, to help them become excellent learners when they reach high school.
“Coming from a high school I know the product that we receive, and that helps me to know what is expected from primary school – it’s simple, develop or shape the child to be fully prepared for high school and life thereafter.

“As Martin Luther King Jr said ‘Take the first step in faith. You don’t have to see the whole staircase, just take the first step.’ I’m taking a step of faith going to the new school and they are also taking a step of faith with me, to trust me.”

Emotional occasion
Sampson revealed that having to say goodbye to Oos Rand was an emotional thing. “To leave a school after working there for 30 years was an emotional occasion for all of us. I shed a few tears when the announcement was made.

“Oos Rand shaped me as a learner, shaped me as an educator, shaped me in management and I’m grateful for what Oos Rand has made me. I’m forever grateful for the mentorship under the school management teams.
“Oos Rand will stay in my blood and I want to wish the learners well in the schooling journey and wish my colleagues the best in their professional careers.
“We must never forget the core point of why we are educators; it’s because of learners and only because of learners.”

Teaching career
Born and bred in Reiger Park, Sampson is a resident of Reiger Park and she attended Reiger Park Primary and Oos Rand Secondary.
She has been married for the past 33 years to Sherman and God blessed them with two children eldest Robyn (33-year-old daughter) and a son Sherman junior.

Her teaching career started when she studied at the then Rand College of Education and from there she joined Oos Rand Secondary as a young teacher and during her 30 years at the school, she slowly moved into leadership roles, which earned her enormous experience in teaching and management responsibilities.

She started working under the reins of the former principal of the school Dr Philander, then his successors, Opperman, Lincoln van Ross and the current head Peter Arendse.
She rose through the ranks becoming HOD and subsequently deputy principal.
Sampson became the school’s HOD under principal Opperman and was later appointed as deputy principal under principal van Ross and served in the same position under the current principal Peter Arendse.

“I’m so grateful to all my principals and HODs for the mentorship and all that they have done to shape me as an educator and leader.

“My mother, Lilian du Plessis, who died last year at the age of 92, always had a dream as a youngster to become an educator but was unable to realise that dream due to the barriers she faced growing up.

But, when I was appointed as a principal last week I thought mom you always wanted to become an educator and your dreams never come true. I’m grateful to the Lord that I could walk out that dream for her and become a deputy and eventually a principal.”

Interesting journey
Sampson described her teaching journey as an interesting one, pointing out that one of the highlights of her teaching career at Oos Rand is when she met and shook hands with the former president of the country Nelson Mandela when he visited the school in 1995.

“Personally, I felt honoured to meet the first black president of democratic South Africa. It was an awesome highlight. Another remarkable period was witnessing the chain of events when the South African schools system was transitioning from the then apartheid system to the new system.
“There were a lot of challenges, but it was interesting to witness the changes, including coming from the old system to ICT.”

Inspiring messages for learners
“My message to youngsters is: always make sure that your career of choice doesn’t get lost somewhere along the line in the schooling system. Don’t forget the dream, don’t forget the plan and the purpose that God has in place for you and above all dream big.

“When you become successful, don’t forget to look back and reach out to those that you have left behind. It’s not about you as an individual or just Reiger Park, but it’s about creating better citizens, better community and a better country and a better world.”

Challenges
Sampson pointed out several challenges faced by youngsters, particularly in the townships like Reiger Park.

Among these highlighted challenges emanate from the effects of broken family structures, low self-esteem, exposure to dangerous substances, lack of public resources, poverty and other socioeconomic challenges.

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