The Umzinyathi Education District has bid farewell to Bev Garner who served the Department of Education close to 32 years. Pro Nobis, the venue for her official farewell get-together, was carefully selected. It was at this school that Bev started her career in education first as a full-time temporary teacher and later as Acting Principal.
Bev has never lacked both enthusiasm and energy!
She grabbed every opportunity – all to serve the disabled and learners who needed special care.
Bev has an interesting career path. Beverly Boggs matriculated in December 1968 and obtained her National Diploma in Occupational Therapy (OT) on December 1, 1971.
She started as an OT at the Department of Health’s Weskoppies Psychiatric Institution in Jan 1972 and resigned in June 1972.
Then already she spread her wings and in the UK Bev worked for the Spastic Society – on the Coombe Farm Croydon as OT from August to December 72 and at the West Cheshire Hospital from January to June 1973.
Bev and Paul Garner were married in the spring of 1973 and her first post as Mrs Garner was working for a year as a clerk at the Standard Bank at R167 per month!
She and Paul raised funds for Pro Nobis by travelling by bicycle to Cape Town, sleeping in a little tent next to the road!

….A whole new world opened and where others saw challenges, Bev saw opportunities.

On January 1, 1984, Bev was appointed as the first Occupational Therapist at the Glencoe Remedial School where she worked for two years before joining the Northern Natal School Psychological Services.
In 1997 the diverse ex-departments of education amalgamated and Bev joined the Ladysmith Region as Occupational Therapist. A whole new world opened and where others saw challenges, Bev saw opportunities. She worked endlessly on getting a special school registered for Msinga. During that time White Paper 6 on Inclusive Education was published and was advocated broadly.
During this time it became evident that Occupational and Speech Therapists could not apply for promotion posts without an educational qualification so Bev started studying once again and completed her BEd Psychology and consequently her Masters in Alternative and Augmentative Communication (AAC).
After restructuring, Bev joined the Umzinyathi District and assumed duty as the DCES Special Education, the post she held till retirement. Here she will be remembered for her tireless labour in getting Thathezakhe Special School (Nqutu) and Buhlebomvoti (Mvoti) registered and for her contribution at the Full Service Schools.
Having a career spanning almost 43 years, Bev has been influential in the district, province and nationally as a visionary role model, leader and mentor.
Her professional and personal wisdom has been held in high esteem by many.
The Special Need Education Services extend their gratitude to Pro Nobis Special School for hosting this special function, the learners’ performance and care they took in preparing the venue and meal.