Katlehong educator Leonor Nodathini Ngozi has been awarded second position in the Kader Asmal Lifetime Achievement Award during the 26th National Teaching Awards Provincial Leg.

Gauteng Education, Sport, Arts, Culture and Recreation MEC Lebogang Maile presented the award at The Fortress Venue in Klipfontein on September 28. The provincial leg recognised teachers and school leaders across 15 categories who demonstrated exceptional dedication, innovation, commitment and excellence in education.

Ngozi, who has been in the education sector for 37 years, served 10 years in the public sector before moving to the Learners with Special Educational Needs (LSEN) sector.

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She described the nomination process as a long journey that started at school level and progressed through different competition stages.

Competing against nominees from three regions forming the Ekurhuleni districts, she won first position in the Kader Asmal Lifetime Achievement Award – Ekurhuleni cluster.

“To qualify for this award, one needs 30 years of continuous service. When I won first position in the regionals, I felt excited and honoured. Because it is a lifetime award, it meant that I have done my part in changing lives,” said Ngozi.

“For the past 27 years, I have been in the LSEN sector. Seeing the progress and contribution I have made over the years is truly humbling,” she added.

Winning the regional competition qualified Ngozi for the provincials, where she finished second. The milestone allowed her to reflect on the early days of her career.

“When I was filling in the documents to highlight my achievements, I couldn’t fit everything into words. Looking back at the early days of Ithembelihle, it seems almost impossible that we are here today, considering the hurdles we had to overcome,” she recalled.

“I first came to the school in 2003 when we started with 43 children. Today, the school has over 300 learners. We have offered Grade 12 classes for the past five years and maintained a 100% pass rate. For me, seeing the school grow and introduce different curricula reflects progress and inclusivity.”

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Ngozi began her teaching journey at Cape College of Education, where she qualified with a Senior Primary Teacher’s Diploma before being placed at Ukhanyiso Primary School in Katlehong.

“I believe it was at Ukhanyiso Primary School that I fell in love with teaching learners with special needs. I started remedial classes to assist learners with learning difficulties,” she said.

“Those classes opened my eyes and drove me to expand my knowledge of special needs education. Years later, I realised that some of those children should have been referred to special needs schools.”

Ngozi spent 10 years at Ukhanyiso Primary School, eventually becoming head of department for learners with learning barriers. Over the years, she accumulated several qualifications, including a Diploma in Remedial Studies, a Bachelor of Education Honours, and a Master’s in Early Childhood Intervention from the University of Pretoria.

Her move to Ezibeleni LSEN School (Ezibeleni School for Physically Disabled Children) came after a decade in mainstream public schooling. She applied for a deputy principal position and served there for four years.

In 2003, she became the principal of Ithembelihle, an offshoot of the former JC Merkin School in Soweto, registered under its current name in April 1998. Establishing its identity required significant effort.

“Much of the administrative work was still under the former name. I was instrumental in shaping the school and establishing its own identity. Paperwork and letterheads still carried the JC Merkin School name,” she explained.

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“I used to visit hospitals, go to wards, and introduce myself to parents and hospital staff while handing out pamphlets. Looking back, the school has grown not only in learner numbers but also in how we deliver quality education.”

Ngozi highlighted key corporate partnerships, including support from Voith Turbo, a local subsidiary of the German multinational engineering group Voith.

“An essential partnership was securing a healthcare professional who visited twice a week to check on our learners, which later moved to twice a month as their health improved,” she noted.

“We also started a food garden to address nutritional challenges. Many learners would return from school holidays undernourished. We began weighing learners and creating meal plans to improve nutrition, especially for those on chronic medication who cannot take medicine on an empty stomach.”

She added that support from the Department of Health enables referrals to local clinics, while social workers visit households to monitor care and wellness.

To strengthen learning, the school introduced diverse curricula, soft skills, and adaptive sports, including bodybuilding, wheelchair basketball, tennis, and table tennis. Five learners recently travelled to Portugal for wheelchair tennis competitions and training, while Mi Fitness sponsored a fully equipped gym following bodybuilding successes.

Reflecting on her legacy, Ngozi wishes to be remembered as a pioneer who elevated the school to high standards of excellence.

Her impact extends to former colleagues, including two who became principals — one at Isipho Sethu Special School and another at Ezibeleni LSEN School.