His love for teaching and passion for bettering the lives of rural pupils resulted in physical science teacher Sizwe Kubheka working for six months without getting paid.
Now his dedication has been rewarded after six of the pupils in his physical science class of 33 obtained distinctions while no-one failed the subject.
As a result, Kubheka, 35, a qualified mechanical engineer who teaches physical science at Thokoza High School in Bergville, KwaZulu-Natal, has been hailed as a hero by villagers. For the past four years his class achieved a 100% pass rate and he was also honoured as the best teacher in his district.
In June last year, Kubheka's contract was terminated by the KwaZulu-Natal department of education because he did not have teaching qualifications.
“After my contract was terminated I could not just abandon my pupils as they were looking up to me to help them produce good marks. I continued teaching even though I was not paid. It was difficult but I had to make sacrifices for these pupils who had their hopes on me.”
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