Ngwana resigned after he landed a lucrative job in tourism, but his love for his learners brought him back to the classroom. For the past four years, he has been teaching tourism and life orientation for Gr 10 to Gr 12. Every year his learners had a 100% pass rate with distinctions. However, as a volunteer employee, he is only paid a stipend making it hard to make ends meet.

This pressure led him to look for employment in the tourism industry as he is qualified in tourism and public management. In February he started his new job in Pretoria in the tourism industry, however, his learners kept calling and texting asking him to return. “My soul was touched after hearing the messages from my Gr12 learners.

“Even though I needed the money, I chose to return to serve them. “I was done with teaching, but not with the learners,” he said. “I believe God will guide me in this decision.” Ngwana had applied to study teaching at Unisa but has been rejected three times. On Friday, March 1, it was celebrations all around as the 25-year-old returned to his former position.

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Sedan High School principal, Winter Mavulwana, told the Herald that he is pleased that Ngwana is back. Mavulwana was forced to teach the Gr 12 class making it difficult to balance his duties as the principal with being in the classroom. “We appreciate his selflessness. He is a dedicated teacher, and we were not the only ones that was affected by his resignation, the whole circuit missed him.”

Ngwana was responsible for question papers for tourism in the Mopani West District Circuit, he explained. In February Ngwana was also named the best volunteer teacher by Vutivi I Ndzhaka, a non-profit organisation, established by academics from the neighbouring villages of Sedan, Bonn, Mafarana and Mulati that host career days for learners and recognise top-performing teachers.