Remembering a life dedicated to teaching

Former Raisethorpe High School and Northdale Primary teacher Quentin Nobin recently passed away after a short illness.

Nobin was born on September 8,1944 in Howick. The eldest of four brothers, he attended Marion Primary School, Esther Payne Smith School and Woodlands Secondary School.

After matriculating, he furthered his studies and trained as a teacher at Springfield Training College in Durban from 1963 to 1965. He received the award for most outstanding student teacher when he graduated.

He commenced his career as a biology teacher in 1966 at

Raisethorpe High School. In 1976 he was promoted to senior assistant at Estcourt High School. He returned to Northdale, and took up a post as senior assistant at Northdale Primary in 1982. Due to illness, he was medically boarded and exited the education system in the late 1980s.

He had an immense passion for education and teaching was his life. After retiring, he continued his interest in education by compiling teaching materials on CD and distributed them to schools at his own cost.

He lived to help others and often put everyone’s best interests before his own. Deeply spiritual, he played an active role at St. Anthony’s and Our Lady of Good Health Catholic churches. He was also a member of the Society of St. Vincent de Paul, where he helped to alleviate poverty through the provision of practical assistance to those in need.

His brother, Terrance, recalled that when they were learners at Woodlands Secondary, an educator called him “Don Quixote” because of the sound of his name. “In many ways he was “quixotic” – especially after retiring. He was relentlessly idealistic, passionate about social justice and a fighter for human rights,” his brother said.