CLASSROOM CORNER
Teacher of the Week
Teacher: Phuti Ragophala
School: Pula-Madibogo Primary School, Mankweng, Limpopo
Nursing’s loss was a massive gain for scores of learners who went through the hands of veteran school teacher Phuti Ragophala’s through the years at Pula-Madibogo Primary School in Mankweng, Limpopo.
Ragophala wanted to become a nurse but waited four years for a nursing call to come.
During the time of waiting, she started teaching at a private school and found that she enjoyed teaching even more.
She eventually trained as a teacher and never became a nurse as she had originally intended.
She later became a school principal, retired and now continues teaching through online and social media platforms.
Teaching is to Ragophala a medium she uses to change the lives of learners, particularly orphans who have become leading community members through her teaching.
She cites lack of physical and human resources and shortage of land and space as some of the challenges she dealt with while she was a school principal.
To counteract these challenges, Ragophala formed a partnership with University of Limpopo, which provided both physical and human resources to solve these challenges that limit learners chances to learn.
Ragophala’s participation in the Kader Asmal Award was a culmination of a long journey which was characterised by selfless leadership, integrating Batho Principles, United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, 21st century skills and TPCK in her teaching and leadership, being a global citizen and a teacher without borders.
(Compiled by Inside Education staff)
