HIS JOURNEY INTO TEACHING

By KOPANO MONAHENG
WHATEVER his grandmother asked him to do, Peter Nkosi did it gladly.
And young as he was then, he preferred to follow the advice coming from his gogo rather than from any other member of his family.

The father of two girls and principal of Nigel Primary School in Nigel, Ekurhuleni, said: “My grandmother encouraged me to pursue teaching because she did not want me to go into other sectors. Teaching runs in my family, as my grandmother and uncles were teachers.”

Nigel Primary School was predominantly a white school when it was established in 1952. But after 1994, changes began to take place.

Nkosi joined the school in 2019 as a deputy principal. “Before that, I had spent my entire teaching career at township schools.

“Teaching has become a passion for me. I enjoy communicating with people, and I enjoy teaching. Even though principals are not generally expected to teach classes, I still teach Grade 5 learners because I enjoy being in the classroom,” said Nkosi.

This is his first full year as principal of Nigel Primary School, and he never imagined that one day he would become a principal. “When you study to become a teacher, your main goal is usually to teach. However, as you gain experience, qualifications and communication skills, you begin to realise that you can also become a leader.

“I am fortunate to have a very positive staff that supports me. There are 31 educators at the school, and only two of us are men. I believe that mutual respect and teamwork are important in building a positive working environment.”

Nkosi appreciates having a grandmother like her, whom he describes as an angel.

“She always wanted my father to succeed and hoped that her son would also become successful. However, things did not work out as she had hoped for my father, and when I was born, she gave me a name connected to her hopes for the family.

“I will always be grateful for her encouragement and the role she played in guiding me towards teaching. Her influence helped shape the person I am today,” concluded Nkosi.