ECDOE joins the rest of South Africa and the World in celebrating the important role played by teachers in molding, developing and shaping a human being. This marks a day where educators are celebrated for their hard work, dedication and commitment to their profession.

On the 5 October 2017, teachers from 6 Eastern Cape Education Districts converged in Butterworth to be awarded for excellence and celebrated for all their efforts. This is done to remember these devotees who sacrifice their lives on a daily basis to build and construct future leaders. This is not always done in favourable conditions but we see these men and women soldiering on without tiring or ceasing.

The day was honoured by the presence of Mayor Bikitsha from Butterworth, EC Education SG Themba Kojana, Union representatives, Senior Managers from different Districts. Giving messages of support were representatives from different unions who appreciated this gesture and pleaded with Department to not only focuses on Grade 12 but concentrate and give more attention to the foundation phase as this will help improve Grade 12 results in the future.

In his speech, SG Temba Kojana defined teaching as a mother of all professions and further described it as not just a noble profession but a “stewardship that is Heavenly”. He emphasized the fact that teachers need to remember that they have been entrusted with the lives of other people and that they are role models who have been given a task to “mold young minds into bigger minds. “They mold people into becoming good citizens of a particular country and contribute positively in the economy and social upliftment of countries”, said Kojana.

“The time has arrived for us to change the profile and image of the Department and ensure that we communicate one message, a message of hope.” These were the words echoed by SG as he encouraged teachers to learn from those who came before them, the likes of OR Tambo, an astute leader who was once a maths and science teacher. As we celebrate the year of OR Tambo, SG touched on some of the values that OR possessed that teachers need to emulate. A sense of fairness and justice for all, fortitude, resilience, bravery, selflessness, complete abjudication of self, tried and tested leader, uprightness of character, humility and being a scholar and academic. “Teachers must inspire the sons and daughters of our province,” concluded Kojana.

“To the world you may be just a teacher but to your students you are a star”