By Palesa Mofoti
The emotional farewell celebration of Nontobeko Ngobeni, which was held over the course of two days at Masiza Primary School and Batsumi Guest House, was nothing short of amazing.
The festivity included energetic cultural performances from her learners, with guests draped in their beautiful traditional attire, celebrating a woman affirmed by most as phenomenal with exceptional leadership qualities.
Department heads, former colleagues, and her predecessor, Thandi Bango, were among the esteemed guests who spoke highly of her.
Ma’am Ngobeni, as many called her, was an educator who began her schooling at Montshiwa Primary School, and after completing her Grade 12 at Tshireleco High School, she enrolled in Nursing.
The loss of her father took a heavy emotional toll on her, and she had to quit.
Ngobeni picked herself up and decided to enroll at Phatshimang Teaching College, which is now known as Northern Cape Urban TVET College, for a teaching course, and she completed her teaching in 1989.
She began teaching at Delportshoop Combined School and proceeded to teach at DR E.P. Lekhela High School for one year. A year later, she was a Mathematics and English educator at Masiza Primary School in 1992.
Like many professionals, her journey was not easy, especially teaching in township schools with children from different social backgrounds. Because of her love and passion for teaching, she made it her mission to become a mother to her learners.
Nkosinathi Yaso, a former student of Ngobeni, noted, “Ma’am had a way of bringing lessons to life. She didn’t just teach strictly from the book. She taught us about life, also.”
Palesa Nqumashe, a former colleague at Masiza and current Provincial Secretary for the South African Teachers Union (SADTU), highlighted the amazing work ethic Ngobeni possessed, stating that she left a noticeable legacy at Masiza, moving it a level up from where it was.
Ngobeni highlighted that there is a noticeable change in the education system from the time of her inception as an educator to the current years. She expressed the daunting task faced by school principals, especially when it comes to teaching the current generation.
Ngobeni became the school principal at Masiza Primary School in 2013 until her retirement in 2023. Her position is occupied by Lady Hadio Mei.
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