The new principal with a plan for Bergvlam
Deon Visser started at the school last week and sat down with Lowvelder to share his plans.
MBOMBELA – Hoërskool Bergvlam’s new principal has big plans for the school.
The previous principal, Annemarié Kleynhans, retired at the end of February. Deon Visser started at the school last week and sat down with Lowvelder to share his plans.
“I have just started and as far as I have observed, Bergvlam has been under excellent care over the years. You cannot fix what is not broken. But where there must be changes, I will look into it.”
Visser is new to the Lowveld. For the past seven years he was the deputy principal at Hoërskool Kanonkop in Middelburg. He was known as the man who could do it all, which earned him the nickname “Chuck Norris”. Before that he was a teacher at Witbank Tegnies since 1990.
His wife Trudy is a foundation-phase teacher. The couple have two daughters who followed in their parents’ footsteps. “My eldest teaches maths and technical maths at Kanonkop, and the younger one is teaching at Curro Witbank.”
In his free time he relaxes on the golf course but also likes action cricket and netball. “I also enjoy reading a good book.”
Although he is a sport lover, Visser believes that academics come first. “Values are important to children and this can also be taught at school.
“Learners need to work hard but they need to enjoy school and at the end, achieve good results in matric,” he added. Bergvlam’s grade 12 results have been excellent for years, and he plans to keep it that way.
“I want more learners passing matric than entering in grade eight. We need to ensure every child finishes their education to the best of our abilities. Those who need help, we need to assist with extra academic programmes.”
The Vissers are in the process of relocating to Mbombela, and he will be at the school full-time from the start of the second term on April 4.
