SASOLBURG – hiding within the walls of Nelson Mandela Primary School premises, you’ll find the office of Principal Thabile Chabela.
Inside it, it’s an absolute cabinet of trophies, certificates, and accolades that bear witness to the remarkable career of this distinguished educator.
With over 200 trophies lining her office, it resembles a trophy shop, showcasing a multitude of accomplishments.
From being recognized as the best-run school to earning personal accolades as the province’s best principal, Chabela’s journey has been nothing short of extraordinary.
In an exclusive interview, Chabela graciously shared her story, offering insight into her inspiring career and her unwavering commitment to education.
“From my days at Sefikeng College of Education, it was visible that I was going to be a great leader. After three months at college, I was teaching some of my peers some of the courses we did. On the second term, my deputy principal approached and told me he could write a proper testimonial for me to work at the college, which he did,” she said.
Chabela’s educational journey began as a teacher at Bolata Primary School in Qwaqwa, later moving to Credo Primary, which was eventually renamed Nelson Mandela Primary School.
Her path to teaching wasn’t her initial plan, as she initially aspired to study medicine.
However, fate had other plans for her, and she found herself drawn to teaching, a profession she now cherishes more than anything.
Reflecting on her early accomplishments as a principal, Chabela recounted her first recognition.
“In 2011, after only having one and a half years as a principal, I attended a principal conference called the SAPA National Conference. I received my first certificate of congratulations for attending the conference. We were visiting different excelling schools. The same year, I attended an international conference in Canada. I learned a lot because Canada was known for the best education,” she said.
Chabela’s commitment to excellence extended to her school, where her pupils consistently achieved top positions in various competitions.
One notable achievement was in the bursary competition by Sasol, where her school secured four bursary positions, followed by an impressive six in 2012. However, their remarkable success was not without challenges. “Beginning of 2013 there was misunderstanding on criteria used for Sasol bursaries which were ultimately changed but could not produce the expected Outcome and forced to be discontinued” Chabela explained.
The school’s exceptional performance is not limited to academics alone. With over 50 extramural activities, including ballet, cultural dance, cricket, rugby, and hockey, Nelson Mandela Primary School excels in all of them.
“Mass participation is our thing. We have 1800 learners, and each time they compete with other schools, they excel,” Chabela proudly stated.
When asked about her secret to leading a top-performing school in the Free State province, Chabela emphasized her approach to managing her staff in all departments. “Monitoring, managing, and leading the school is where many schools face problems. One must be always on the front and be a leader. I have produced a lot of leaders; others are principals in different schools all over the province. I have also produced a lot of subject advisors even outside the province,” she said.
As she contemplates her retirement, Chabela’s vision remains focused on creating an inclusive and supportive environment for all students.
“One last thing I want to see happen before I exit teaching is the transformation of the school to be conducive for everyone. We have a lot of learners with special needs. I had one class not well recognized, but through the efforts that we have applied for the school to be inclusive, we planned to have three classes of kids with special needs. 50 are already assessed, and I want to leave this school with a proper and inclusive environment for all learners,” she expressed with determination.
