A teacher from Paul Roos Gymnasium in Stellenbosch was recently announced a winner in the Provincial Teaching Awards ceremony for excellence in teaching natural sciences.
Luize Kroukamp, an alumna from Stellenbosch University (SU), was awarded at the ceremony which took place on 9 September.
This is according to Kerry Mauchline, spokesperson for David Maynier, the provincial education minister of the Western Cape Education Department (WCED).
Luize Kroukamp, a teacher from Paul Roos Gymnasium, was awarded the Provincial Teaching Award for excellence in natural sciences teaching. “It was a pleasure to be in her classes,” said Christian de Kock, an alumnus of Paul Roos and current third-year student at Stellenbosch University. “You could just tell how immensely passionate she was about her subject.” PHOTO: Supplied/WCED
“I am very honoured and grateful to receive this recognition,” said Kroukamp. “It has already inspired me to improve my classroom practice and to do even more to promote science education.”
Kroukamp was among 13 award-winning educators in various categories for the provincial awards, including excellence in mathematics teaching, physical sciences teaching and special needs teaching, according to a WCED press release.
Kroukamp and the other 12 educators will represent the Western Cape at the National Teaching Awards, which is set to take place on 19 October, according to the WCED website.
The WCED invited public school teachers, governing bodies and district officials to submit nominations for the awards to create an opportunity to celebrate them and their hard work, said Maynier.
“Teachers are the backbone of our society and must be recognised and must be respected,” said Maynier, during his speech at the event. The speeches were supplied to MatieMedia after the event.
The standard of education in the Western Cape
The standard of education in the Western Cape is “exceptionally high” and the levels at which educators in the Western Cape perform are worthy of recognition and high praise, said Maynier.
Pictured from top to bottom, left to right are 12 of the 13 recipients of various Provincial Teaching Awards, alongside Alan Winde, premier of the Western Cape, and David Maynier, provincial education minister of the Western Cape Education Department: Niel Botha, Memory Dizha, Jamie-Lee Titus, Ridwan Samodien, Delanie Geldenhuys, Marieke Pretorius, John Matiso, Mark Agulhas, Maynier, Charnelle Hector, Yolanda Lupondo, Winde, Robin van de Rheede, and Luize Kroukamp. PHOTO: Supplied/Alfonso Stoffels
“Our winners of the provincial awards are representative of the wealth of talent and skill we have in the Western Cape,” said Maynier. “We cannot thank them enough for the love they show our children.”
“We are unbelievably proud of Mrs Kroukamp and her fantastic achievement that recognises her as a dynamic subject specialist and educator,” said André van Staden, rector of Paul Roos Gymnasium, via email correspondence with MatieMedia.
More than just an educator
Alan Winde, Western Cape premier, during his speech at the event, expressed his immense gratitude to the educators of the province, like Kroukamp, for their “invaluable work”.
“She really showed her true passion for science in our classes and was so engaging. She made our experiments super fun,” said Christian de Kock, an alumnus of Paul Roos Gymnasium and current third-year student at SU.
“Each of our teachers is working to achieve our vision of quality education for every learner, in every classroom, in every school in our province, even in challenging circumstances,” said David Maynier, provincial education minister of the Western Cape Education Department. “We cannot thank them enough for the love they show our children.” PHOTO: Jessica Hillier
“She was definitely the best science teacher at Paul Roos and we were lucky to have her,” said De Kock.