Osizweni principal retires after incredible 40 years of service
After 27 years of exceptional leadership, principal Roshan Singh is retiring from education and his significant role as principal at Qhubimfundo Primary School in Osizweni.
His retirement marks the end of an era as possibly the longest-serving principal in the Amajuba District.
Since beginning his educational career in 1985, Singh’s journey has been one of unwavering commitment to bettering all the schools he has served.
Singh, who has proudly served the education fraternity for 40 years, was honoured by his school in an emotional farewell celebration where he expressed his sadness at saying goodbye but added he was looking forward to a well-deserved break.
Born in Ballengeich Village outside of Newcastle, his passion for teaching led him to teacher training at the University of Durban Westville. His first appointment was in 1985, followed by stints in multiple schools in Ladysmith, Pretoria, Glencoe, St. Oswald’s Secondary School, and Lincoln Heights Secondary School. He was promoted to head of department at Jobstown Primary in 1997 and in 1998 took the position of principal at Qhubimfundo.
”I was excited and a bit apprehensive because it was during a period of transformation in South Africa. It was a new, unfamiliar environment, but the parents were wonderfully receptive and welcomed me with open arms,” he recalled.
Singh’s tenure at Qhubimfundo Primary School was transformative, with one of his proudest achievements being improving the school’s infrastructure. Under his leadership, the school introduced a computer room, a library and an administrative block and increased the number of teaching staff, which included the appointment of two deputy principals and four departmental heads.
The school’s success made it the top choice for parents and learners in Osizweni thereby effectively increasing the school’s enrolment from 500 to an impressive 1200 learners. The school further introduced a variety of new sports, including rugby, cricket, basketball, netball, gymnastics, and athletics, which necessitated the development of a sports field.
Singh credits the strong support of the parents, the teachers, the school governing body led by Mr. M.W. Nkosi, and the district circuit manager, Dr. N.C. Masondo, for helping turn his plans into reality. “I’ve had the privilege of working with passionate, dedicated individuals who have truly supported me throughout this journey,” Singh remarked.
Reflecting on the challenges Singh faced during his time at Qhubimfundo, two stand out as particularly significant. The first was the decision to change the school’s learning policy from teaching in Isizulu to English, making Qhubimfundo the first school in Osizweni to make this shift.
The second challenge was the introduction of the CAS (Creative Arts and Sciences) system, which required extensive adjustments to the curriculum and teaching methods. In addition, the school was grappling with a lack of infrastructure. Through the combined efforts of the teachers, parents, and SGB, the challenges were not just overcome but turned out to be some of the school’s greatest achievements.
Singh credits his quest for continuous learning and personal development for his exceptional leadership skills and deep understanding of education. This was further validated when he won the prestigious position of “Number One Teacher” in the Ladysmith region at the National Teacher Awards in 2000, an accolade handed to him by then Minister of Education, Kader Asmal.
Reflecting on his career, Singh expressed deep gratitude to his family for their unwavering support. His wife, Nishani, and children, Sashen and Shimara, understood the sacrifices required for his dedication to education. “They’ve been my rock, and there have been plenty of times I’ve had to sacrifice quality family time because the school needed me,” he said. Now that he is retiring, Singh is looking forward to spending more time with his family and pursuing his personal passions, which include golf, running and travelling – he recently went to Qatar to attend the F1 Grand Prix. “If my health permits, I’d love to complete one more Comrades marathon. And one of my biggest dreams is to conquer base camp on Mount Everest,” he shared.
Singh will miss the Osizweni community deeply, particularly the little faces of the children who have brought him so much joy throughout the years. “Seeing their little faces every morning always brought me so much joy,” he said fondly.
Looking back on his career, Singh hopes to be remembered for his vision and commitment to creating a culture of quality learning at Qhubimfundo. “I went in with a vision and agenda to transform the school, and I feel proud to have walked away, knowing what I achieved,” he reflected. “It’s a bittersweet feeling. I am sad, happy, and nostalgic, having served the community for 27 years.”
As he signs off from Qhubimfundo Primary School, he leaves behind these words for the community: “Let our achievements inspire Qhubimfundo to greater heights in the future. I will miss you and will always hold you close to my heart.”
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