VEREENIGING. – The Principal of Riverside High School in Three Rivers Evalt Makgwatha (45) was recently awarded for excellence in Secondary School Leadership where he garnered the second place in the Gauteng Province.

The National Teacher’s Award (NTA) ceremony was carried out by the Gauteng MEC for Education Matome Chiloane at the Garden Court Hotel in Rand burg.

Speaking to Sedibeng Ster, Makgwatha said it was a great honor for him to be given recognition for his leadership.

“The award is dedicated to the team at Riverside High, they work tirelessly to uplift the quality of education for our learners.

Makgwatha says that his staff expressed their confidence in his leadership skills during the nomination process.

“As a candidate I had to motivate why I think I deserve to be honored with such a high accolade. The nomination team had to give their own motivation to support why I should be awarded in the category of excellence in secondary school Leadership.

Makgwatha says that as a candidate, he had to prove that he goes above and beyond the call of duty.

“With challenges experienced in schools in terms of safety, bullying, mental health, poverty and drug abuse, and many other challenges, principals need to be visionaries and turn the situation around. Many of our principals are already doing so much for their schools, they should keep records and pictures of their successes and programs so they may have an impressive presentation.

“Some of the qualities displayed by good leaders are the ability to manage diversity in an institution, developing staff to become leaders, supporting educators and learners to achieve quality results, collaborating with other institutions to support learner achievement as well as managing and leading the staff to achieve the vision of the institution,” Makgwatha concludes.