A Brackenfell teacher and a Kraaifontein school principal have received awards from the provincial education department.
Lizette Schroeder, who teaches maths at Protea Heights Academy in Brackenfell, received the Best Teacher award while Michael Mavovana, the principal of Hector Peterson Secondary School in Wallacedene, won the Excellence in Secondary School Leadership award.
Fourteen provincial winners were recognised in different categories by the Western Cape Education Department in the awards announced on Friday.
“These awards give us the opportunity to celebrate the incredible work that teachers in our public schools do every day, and to recognise excellent teaching practice,” said Education MEC David Maynier.
The department said Ms Schroeder, with almost 30 years of service, “raises the bar of teaching, sharing best practices, and mentoring colleagues” and she “conquers the fear of mathematics with fun activities that resonate with the learner”.
The department said Mr Mavovana faced poor pupil performance and a decline in enrolment when he was appointed in 2017, but he turned things around.
“Strategies were devised to foster an environment that enabled learners to achieve their fullest potential. This has been instrumental in revitalising the community’s confidence in the school, leading to a remarkable increase in enrolment from 1200 learners in 2017 to 1685 in 2023.”
In January, Northern News reported that the school’s matric pass rate had increased from 78.4% in 2021 to 92.6% last year.
Mr Mavovana said he felt honoured to receive the award, and he thanked his staff for their efforts and the community for the trust it had shown in the school.
