Winner a true teacher
Clay’s love and dedication to pupils goes beyond the classroom
IN CELEBRATION of World Teacher’s Day last week, a Joe Slovo Primary School Grade 1 teacher was announced the winner of the Eastern Cape Primary School category in a nationwide competition.
Joe Slovo Primary School teacher Zoleka Clay was entered into the Woolworths Educational Programme and MySchool’s Teacher’s Day competition by one her pupils, Endinako Vuta.
The competition saw 19 000 pupils, like Vuta, inspired to enter their super-hero teachers this year – a significant rise in entries from the 13 000 received last year.
Pupils were asked to submit a 200-word motivation that highlighted their teacher’s superpowers and describe how they had changed their lives.
Clay, who has been teaching for 26 years, responded to the announcement by saying: “Teaching means dedication, love and commitment to the development of the child.
“It is also about uplifting the community through education.
“Dedication means always being knowledgeable because I need to know what is happening around me and keep up to date with changes in the education system. I’m always willing to go the extra mile in supporting and assisting the needy pupils.
“I render any form of assistance depending on the needs of individual pupils, for example, I buy them uniforms, stationery and other school-related things,” Clay said.
In her motivation, Vuta highlighted how a dedicated, compassionate and generous teacher such as Clay made an important impact, not just in the classroom.
After having taught Vuta in 2013, Clay has stayed closely connected to Vuta and her family.
Clay helped the family with money out of her own pocket to buy Vuta’s sister study books that were needed, and also found her mother a job.
Woolworths Loyalty and MySchool general manager Pieter Twine congratulated the pair, who each received a R5 000 Woolworths gift voucher.
“We hope that by recognising this super-hero teacher from Port Elizabeth on a national platform, the competition will continue to inspire schools and communities across South Africa to deeply value the wonderful difference that a great teacher makes in the lives of many thousands of pupils,” Twine said.
“This is the seventh year of the Woolies and MySchool Teacher’s Day competition and we are overwhelmed at the sheer volume of children’s heartwarming stories about their incredible teachers.”
Additionally, Clay also received a laptop and an all-expenses paid weekend away for two in Cape Town. Vuta’s motivation letter won a R10 000 cash prize for her school.
The overall national winner was Perumal Govender, a mathematics and technology teacher and acting principal of Orient Heights Primary School in Pietermartizburg.