AFTER 14 years in teaching, Firzaana Tagari (38) has been appointed as the first female principal for Laerskool Theo Wassenaar Primary School (Wassies) in Robertsham.
She started her teaching career at Winchester Ridge Primary School, also in Robertsham. Tagari was doing her practical teaching at this school when the principal Brian Harris saw her potential. “Through my potential and abilities, Mr Harris asked if I could start teaching at the school. From there I never looked back,” she said.
In that year she was a Grade 4 teacher, teaching English, Afrikaans, mathematics, art and technology. “I was always eager to be part of everything that was going on at the school and had my hands in everything. That’s why in 2005, I was moved to Grade 6 to teach natural science and mathematics.
“I was in charge of discipline for the Grade 6s and 7s and was an organiser for many fundraising activities at the school as well as writing scripts for the school productions. When I took the learners to the Alberton Eisteddfod for Choral Verse, they achieved 98 per cent,” she explained.
In 2010 she was the chairlady for District 14 netball and was also selected as the team manager for the u.13 netball provincial team where the girls won the tournament in the year. And this is the year she first won the National Teacher’s Award in Excellence in Primary School Teaching.
Through her dedication, Tagari was appointed as an HOD at Laerskool Theo Wassenaar Primary School in 2011. In 2015 she won her second National Teacher’s Award in Excellence in Primary School Leadership. “Two years after being an HOD I applied for deputy principal – that was in 2014. Then in 2016 when Mr Deon Saayman told the staff that he was resigning as the principal, I decided to apply for the post, which I got on Wednesday, April 20,” she said.
Now as principal, Tagari also teaches Grade 7, life orientation. “I am grateful to my staff who believed in me, also parents and the learners. I believe you lead by example and that is why I want Laerskool Theo Wassenaar Primary School to be the best school in the South. We have a wonderful staff. Our children are well-rounded because they are taught self-confidence, respect and to excel on the sports field. That is why we will be number one in the South,” noted Tagari.
In case you missed it:
https://www.citizen.co.za/southern-courier/94100/laerskool-theo-wassenaars-athletes-going-for-gold/
