Principal wins provincial leadership award at National Teaching Awards

MAGOGENI – A principal’s efforts to ensure her learners and teachers get the necessary support to achieve success recently earned her the provincial award for excellence in primary school leadership at the National Teaching Awards.

Thembi Nkosi, the principal of Mhlosheni Primary, was stunned when she was named a winner in the provincial level of the annual competition, hosted by the Department of Basic Education.

Teachers are nominated or can volunteer themselves to be entered into one of 10 categories, designed to honour excellent overall and subject-specific teachers, as well as school leaders.

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Nkosi feels honoured to be a winner and said it was positive feedback on the work she and the rest of the school are doing. “It gives me the assurance to continuing doing good things and doing things right,” she said.

Nkosi was inspired to become a teacher thanks to the example of her grade five teacher. “I liked her so much that she became my role model.”

This principal has been leading the school since 2007 and aimed to create an environment that is conducive to effective teaching and learning.

“I respect everyone regardless of age and position they hold. I give them an ear when they need it and we are like family. I give support where it is due, both in their work and personal lives, and encourage everyone to support one another because we all share in our successes and failure.”

One of Nkosi’s biggest challenges at the school is to get enough equipment and programmes to outfit and run their computer class. They are struggling to pay the teacher, lack educational software and many of the computers have outdated hardware or do not work.

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Nkosi has been part of Penreach’s Courageous Leadership Development Programme since its inception in 2016. Here she was taught how to tackle challenges at her school, spending little to no money and getting the community involved. She also learned creative ways of introducing ideas or new knowledge to staff “that makes everybody buy the idea”.

Penreach’s director, Sanette Mattheus, described Nkosi as an extraordinary principal, who embraced her new knowledge and implemented it in practical ways. “What distinguishes Thembi is the humble way in which she shares her expertise with other principals,” Mattheus said.

She also mentioned that Nkosi and her school have won numerous trophies at the district and provincial level. “We wish her all the best and are proud of her achievements and the remarkable person she has become.”

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For principals and teachers who would like to follow in her footsteps, she gives the following advice: “A leader works through people. They have to believe in their staff’s capabilities and talents, capitalising on them. Their success depends on how well they do this. If their human resources are well positioned and utilised, there is no reason why the organisation should fail.”