Misty Mount teachers receive long-service awards
EIGHT women who founded and taught in some of the schools in Misty Mount were honoured with long-term service certificates for their contribution in educating generations of families.
Catalyst Education Foundation (CEF) and the Misty Mount Community Project earlier this week awarded the eight heroines , some of whom have dedicated more than 40 years of their lives teaching in Misty Mount.
The award ceremony took place at Emmanuel Methodist Church in Misty Mount.
Speaking to the Saturday Dispatch, CEF founder Lungisile Chayichayi said: “Last year I happened to visit their homes and I noticed that none of them had any long service certificates or awards to show for their work.”
He said initially they were only planning on giving an award to the now late Faith Nomalungelo Combo, who had been a teacher at Ngqwangi Junior Secondary School for 20 years.
“After speaking to her last year before she passed away, she said there were other retired teachers who had also founded schools in Misty Mount,” he said.
Chayichayi said CEF was founded in 2004 with the core purpose of supporting the development of education in rural areas.
Some of the awarded teachers have died and their relatives accepted the awards on their behalf.
One teacher who is still alive is 87year-old Gladys Mlungwazana Mthembu, who was Mangqukwana Junior Secondary School founder and principal. She gave 25 years of her life to the school.
“Teachers must aim to inspire students in all aspects of their lives, and for many teachers, their greatest goal is to be a role model,” said Mthembu.
“Teachers need to always remember that, aside from parents, they are one of the most regular mentors in a child’s life.
“Teachers may also have students that they spend extra time with being a mentor, which means that being a good role model is even more important.” — ziphon@dispatch.