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Growing up in the confines of a shack lining the dusty streets of a deeply rural village in Mount Ayliff did little to dissuade WSU alumnus, Mihlali Makhalima from fulfilling his dreams of becoming a schoolteacher.
His hunger and determination recently earned the WSU bachelor of education graduate, and Ulwazi High School principal and his school, numerous awards in various categories at this year’s ninth edition of the National Education Excellence Awards that took place in Gauteng recently.
Having taken over as, firstly deputy-principal in 2020, and then shortly thereafter appointed principal in 2021, Makhalima’s Ulwazi High showed its consistency when it was recognized in the ‘’Top Performing Quintile 1-3 NSC at 100% for five years‘’ category, dating from 2018 to 2022.
Further accolades were presented to the school after it won yet another accolade after being placed runners-up in the ‘’Top Performing Public Ordinary School: Quintile 3‘’ category.
‘’Such accolades are the reason why I chose education as a career because within education is where speedy and progressive development can take place and see people from humble beginnings such as myself achieving great things. Education truly does open up a lot of doors and can make dreams come true,‘’ said Makhalima.
After obtaining his technical BEd degree specializing in maths, he was quickly snatched up by the very same Ulwazi High, where he proved to be an invaluable addition to the school as he went on to teach maths from grade 8 to 12, between 2008 and 2015.
During the aforementioned stint, Makhalima would also be charged with a number of other responsibilities, including carrying out the schools administrative processes; becoming secretary of the SGB; being appointed head of the schools disciplinary committee; becoming the teacher liaison officer; and being elected as finance officer of the SGB.
‘’I learned a lot from this position and was able to improve drastically as a teacher and as a leader over the years. Im proud to say that, partly due to my efforts, in 2013, through hard work and dedication, the school achieved its first ever 100% pass rate,‘’ he said gleefully.
Seven years later, in 2015, Makhalima would achieve his highest milestone yet as he would be appointed as Ulwazi High‘s mathematics head of department – providing and coordinating guidance on the latest ideas on approaches to the subject in terms of methods, techniques, evaluation and aids.
Four years later he changed course drastically after accepting a job as deputy-principal at Byletts Combined High School, a role he took up in July 2019 but would soon vacate by early 2020 to go back to his beloved Ulwazi High to take over the reigns as deputy-principal.
Shortly thereafter Makhalima would be made principal, a position he currently holds with great pride.
By Thando Cezula
