Limpopo – Ngwanamago Primary School teacher Mokhudu Machaba’s labelled one of the top ten best teachers in the world.
Ngwanamago Primary School is located in Mothiba Ngwanamago in Ga-Maga Jaskraal.
Even though Mokhudu’s passionate about her work, she’s not hiding the fact that she never saw herself as a teacher, she explained that she merely opted for teaching to make ends meet.
“Teaching was a big no for me. I turned to teaching to escape poverty, because it was the only profession I could afford besides being a nurse or a police officer,” she said.
Last week Global Teacher Prize organisation named Mokhudu Machaba as a top ten finalist in the organisation’s 6th year (2020 award) but didn’t take the first place.
As the world recognise and honour Indians for their bravery, the first place – the top teacher in the world is Ranjitsinh Disale from China who was supposed to walk away with $1 million (R15 million) as he ordered for the splitting of his price, he said half of it should be divided equally among the other finalists. Having Mokhudu walking home with over R800 thousand.
Mokhudu who’s been a teacher for 17 years now, she showed how gratefully thankful and honoured she is for the recognition.
“It’s like a dream come true after all the hard work over the last 17 years of my teaching career,” she said.
Mokhudu says becoming a teacher to her is more like a calling as she has the lives of many in her hands, making her the exposer of their potential.
“It’s very crucial for me to become a teacher, I have the lives of people bestowed in my hands, I need to unleash their potential as I carry that everyday in my heart,” said Mokhudu.
Mokhudu explained how difficult her child rearing was as she had to conceive at a young age due to peer pressure, an she grew up without knowing her male parent.
“I had a very painful past, being a teenage mother, didn’t get to know my real father but I am grateful… But it was like that because it built character in me,” said Mokhudu.
She explained that, the best way to know her learners and understand them well, it’s by engaging with their parents to know their family setup prior linking them to school setup.
“I can’t engage the parent, get to know the home setup so that I can merge that with a school setup because I cannot teach the child before I understand the child,” she said.
Mokhudu started with her cell phone accessing internet in class. Fortunately, she has obtained laptops from the ISPA Super Teacher awards, Microsoft, and SA government. She attained all of that by simply showcasing her students activities.
Head Teacher Pauline Serakalala explained how Mokhudu’s not just helping her school – she’s helping the community at large.
“Most of the project in the school and around the community, are coming through Mokhudu, She goes an extra mile, now we’ve students that are doctors some are at the university – they’re learning – they’re going on with this ICT,” said Serakalala.
Mokhudu was a runner-up of ISPA Teacher prize in 2009. Because of her dedication and continuous cushion towards her learner, in 2015 she won the Provincial award of the National Teaching ward (Technology Enhance Teaching category).
STUF News