Friday, 29 July 2011

Rural Principal wins national educator award

Rural school Principal, Ednah Zulu accepted her award on Saturday at a dazzling event at Emperor’s Palace in Gauteng

She hails from the impoverished rural village of Mahlabathini but her dedication as a school principal has gained national acclaim. Ednah Zulu of Ngqengelele High School has received the Shoprite Checkers Women of the Year Educators Award. Described as ‘a courageous woman who took up a challenge to transform a one classroom teaching facility into a high school that is awarded year after year for its matric pass rate and excellence’, Ednah thoroughly deserves all the accolades. She headed the upgrading of the teaching facility from having one classroom, one grade and no toilets to a school that now has 10 classrooms, proper toilet facilities and an administration block. ‘But most importantly this school has been able to achieve outstanding results in the national matric examinations with an overall pass rate that varies between 70% and 80%,’ said the judges. She received R30 000 in individual prize money while the Shoprite Group of Companies will also give R100 000 towards her work to impact positively on the future of the country. ‘I will now be able to build a library, a media centre and/or a laboratory for our pupils to have a better education and a better future,’ she said. ‘Winning this award means that the work I have done over so many years has finally been recognised in a special way. ‘It is wonderful that the impact it has had on the lives of our pupils and community is now seen by the whole of South Africa,’ said Ednah.