Kharina principal retires after over two decades

It is the end of an era at Kharina Secondary School as Yubentheran Shaun Moodley retires as principal after 22 years. “The secondary school is an extremely busy place. No two days are the same. If it is a successful school as Kharina is, it is a very dynamic environment. I will miss my daily interaction with learners, colleagues, parents and guardians,” said Moodley as he steps down after more than two decades at the helm.

Moodley completed his schooling M.L. Sultan Secondary. He finished his BA degree at Westville

University in 1983 and attained his university higher degree in education in 1984. Moodley began teaching English in 1985 at Windsor Secondary School in Ladysmith. In 1997, he was moved to Drakensberg Secondary as the head of department for English where he was later appointed acting deputy principal. After eight months, in 1998, he began serving as principal at Kharina where he continued to teach English until last year.

“Teaching English inspired me to attain a BA Honours in English part-time at Natal University from 1993 to 1994. I was one of 100 principals in Kwazulu-natal to study for a new two-year course, A.C.E. in leadership and management, parttime in 2007,” said Moodley.

Moodley also served as a marker and senior marker since 1987. Until 1996, Moodley also taught part-time night classes to adults at the then Northdale Technical College.

Highlights of Moodley’s tenure at Kharina include being one of the first schools to introduce isizulu as an alternate additional language, the improvement and maintenance of the school’s average pass rate at 94% for 15 years with a 100% on four occasions, and many fundraising initiatives which enabled the school to build its school/community hall which opened in 2015. The school funding was revised from Quintile 5 to Quintile 4 from April 2019.

Moodley said teaching means making a positive difference every day. “Teaching remains the noblest of professions. Teaching children from all walks of life must be respected and greatly valued,” he said, adding that worthy principals will always put learners first. “This must never be compromised. Schools don't function on remote control and successful principals don't run for cover during crises; instead they lead from the front.”

Moodley will miss being at school. “I must express my infinite thanks to the respective school governing bodies who found it fit to promote me at the different schools,” he said.

The retired principal intends on spending his time with his family and preparing his youngest for matric. “I owe my family so much. We have a laat lammetjie in matric and I need to guide him. I will continue sharing my expertise wherever it is required,” said Moodley.