Moving first day for blind teacher
Modala’s uplifting journey continues
An ecstatic Judas Modala walked into a classroom yesterday overcome by emotion as he took his first steps as a teacher at Tenteleni Inclusive primary school in KaNyamazane, Mpumalanga. The school caters for children with and without disabilities.
Modala, who defied the odds to qualify as a teacher after he turned blind from glaucoma as a teenager, said he was nervous about the task ahead. “I’m very happy but at the same time nervous to be working for the first time and being able to teach learners and transfer the skills I learnt,” Modala said.
“This is a dream come true as I always wanted to be a teacher. With the learners showing a will to learn I’m content that come end of the year, we’re going to have [the] best results.”
Modala aced his teaching qualification at the University of Free State last year. He was introduced to pupils yesterday as a social science and English teacher for grades 4 and 7. Modala had lost hope after he turned blind as a teenager. But then the Mpumalanga department of education revived his spirits by giving him a bursary to study further.
He had started playing as a DJ at local events and had approached the department to seek help with more event opportunities to play at.
“I had given up on my childhood
dream of being a teacher. When I got the bursary I went straight to school. I finished my grade 12 well and went to study [further]. Though I was blind the University of Free State was a conducive environment where I managed to finish my teaching degree in record time,” said Modala. Provincial department of education spokesperson Jasper Zwane said Modala should serve as an inspiration to
young people with disabilities to reach for their dreams. “All he [Modala] wanted as a child was to be a teacher, now he is one. We wish our children can emulate him and not think that their disabilities can stop them from achieving their dreams.
“We wish him well and with all the support we gave him, we wish he is going to make it in the class,” said Zwane. Grade 7 pupil Nomawethu
Banda said she was happy to be taught by someone with a disability because there are many people in the country who have low self esteem just because of their disabilities. “We love him and he’s active. He’s good with voice recognition and his hard work as a blind person to teach this level is an encouragement to all of us. We see that nothing is impossible as long as you want it,” said Banda.