Westville High honours education pioneer
Craig Duff, received the Old Boy Pro Meritis Award from the headmaster of Westville Boys' High, Trevor Hall, for his contribution to education.
WESTVILLE Boys’ High School Old Boy, NewBridge chief executive and founder of Varsity College, Craig Duff, received the Old Boy Pro Meritis Award from the headmaster of Westville Boys’ High, Trevor Hall, for his contribution to education.
Duff attended Westville Boys High between 1983 and 1987 and went on to study through Unisa and found Varsity College at the age of just 21.
Speaking shortly after the ceremony, attended by Grade 8 to 11 learners who achieved excellence in the fields of academics, service, sport or cultural, Duff said this was a truly proud and humbling moment.
This year, he realised his dream of creating NewBridge, a new age tertiary institution that will bridge the two important gaps between school and post-school studies and post-school studies and the world of work.
“Westville Boys High played such an important part in my life. It was instrumental in my development. I was a loyal and proud school boy. I am a loyal and proud Old Boy. I have immense respect for all that the school stands for and for all that the school has achieved,” he said.
Hall said Duff was a fitting guest of honour at the awards ceremony as well as an appropriate recipient of the Pro Meritis Award.
Other recipients include Prof Frank Slack, Stephen van Coller, Dr Adrian Tiplady, Dr Mike Ezekowitz, Jim Sutcliffe, Mickey Arthur and Errol Stewart.
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Hall said the award was presented to learners who had matriculated at the school and gone on to achieve a degree of excellence in their subsequent careers.
“This does not necessarily apply to any one skill or a particular talent, but is presented to a person who has made a significant contribution to the national or global community and has achieved the highest degree of excellence to which we aspire in the school. And, who has by example of character, attitude, service, involvement, application, unselfishness, modesty and dedication over a period of time, reflected the personal attributes which we value in our school. This is the highest honour the school can bestow on an Old Boy. It is an award which is not bestowed very often,” he explained.
Duff said Westville Boys’ High and its teachers taught him to be true to the school’s motto ‘incepto ne desistam’ – may I not shrink from my purpose.
“As an entrepreneur, you are constantly faced with challenges and changing circumstances. Westville Boys certainly taught me to stand strong and know that hard work would be rewarded,” he added.
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