Durban - Three KwaZulu-Natal Maths and Science teachers have scooped top awards at the Global Teachers Awards held in Dubai Saturday.
The three teachers are professional educators in different schools and during their spare time, they help pupils from other schools with Maths and Science through Where to Start with Maths and Science (WTS), an organisation founded in 2011.
The awards are bestowed on teachers who go the extra mile to assist pupils in different fields and competitors come from 123 countries.
NEWS: Three KZN Maths & Science teachers have scooped top awards at the Global Teachers Awards held in Dubai. The awards are bestowed on teachers who go the extra mile to assist pupils in different fields. The three proud winners from KwaZulu-Natal are Dr Khangelani Sibiya, pic.twitter.com/jEjnk7TOyi
— Sihle Mavuso (@ZANewsFlash) May 1, 2023
The winners are Dr Khangelani Sibiya, the founder of Where to Start with Maths and Science in Richards Bay who won the Distinguished Educator of the Year: Excellence in Leadership award.
This is his fifth recognition from the global education body.
His organisation (WTS) also won an award as the best school under the boarding school category.
Sibiya's organisation currently have more than 80 upgrading students in the Enseleni Centre.
It also has about 70 pupils in its boarding house which is located in Richards Bay in northern KwaZulu-Natal.
Ntokozo Shange (27) scooped the inspiring Teacher of the Year award, and he teaches Mathematics and Physical science at Inanda Comprehensive High School in Durban.
The other winner was Pongola-born Sandile Mathebula (30) who is best known as Maths-Son and he scooped the Best Teacher in the Mathematics category award.
Mathebula is a teacher at Siphumele High School in Richards Bay.
Sibiya said he was elated with the award as it means his good work in teaching Mathematics is still being recognised at the global level.
With the two new awards, Sibiya who shot to fame by infusing music while teaching takes his tally of international awards to 6.
“This is very gratifying to us as an organisation, it means that we should continue to help our learners.
“Our organisation has now expanded to other provinces, this means that people in South Africa are recognising our work.
“This means that we must continue with our great work.
“What also made me grateful by taking part in the awards was that I was able to interact with other teachers from other countries and shared best practices and shared solutions to educational issues which are universal,” Sibiya after winning the award.
Mathebula said he was proud to have scooped the award while he was up against candidates from 123 countries.
“This means that my dream to pen a book that will simply Mathematics for learners and teachers is still on track.
“The aim is to help the black child to succeed, especially in the field of Mathematics,” Sibiya told IOL after his victory.
Shange (27) who hails from Mandeni said he noticed that some learners shy away from Mathematics and he decided to infuse relevant songs while teaching in order to make learners interested.
“This global award makes me realise that what I do has a huge impact on learners, a huge impact on schools and a huge impact on the results of schools across the board.
“The award gives me the vigour to work hard and help learners because there are many of them who need to be helped to understand Mathematics to an extent that they excel,” Shange said.
Current Affairs