“Receiving the Kader Asmal Lifetime Achiever Award at the national award ceremony in Johannesburg on Thursday 20 October affirmed the notion that poverty doesn’t define you. We have risen from the chains of gutter education, that our school was destined to deliver, to today being the school of choice in our community, striving to deliver quality education for every child in every class, and hence the award affirms that we are on the right track.”
This is how Ridwan Samodien from Wynberg, principal at Kannemeyer Primary School in Grassy Park, describes his achievement.
The runner-up was Charnelle Hector, principal of Belmor Primary School in Hanover Park.
The awards are held annually in recognition of the country’s foremost teachers and to celebrate outstanding teachers who, often under challenging circumstances, remain committed to their roles.
The school will benefit from an injection of R10 000 prize money and use that to acquire much-needed resources for the school.
“The amount is clearly not enough, but we are seriously looking at security smart boards and data projectors for our senior classes. I have on occasion received feedback or appreciation for the way I do things. Some people hold the view that whatever I do, I do with so much love and the award is dedicated to them,” he says.
Samodien dedicated 42 years of his adult life to children and is honoured and blessed to serve 22 years as the leader of Kannemeyer primary. He won the regional award in September.
Samodien matriculated in 1976 at Wittebome High School in Wynberg during the Soweto 1976 uprisings.
“I experienced the unfair and unjust incarceration of my fellow learners and set my heart on becoming a lawyer, so I could defend the oppressed. My dear father Mogamat would have none of that, he insisted that I study to become a teacher. I attended Battswood Primary School and was trained at the then Hewat Teacher Training College in Athlone,” Samodien says.
At Kannemeyer they are confronted with socio-economic challenges, huge unemployment, poverty, gangsterism, drugs, a high crime rate and homeless people.
“We, however, do not let that derail or define us. We are here as the A-team, to deliver a quality holistic education to our children and over the years we have forged deep relationships with many organisations to find better educational resources and training for our teachers, to better the lives of our children.
“My motivation to matrics wanting to become teachers is quite simple. If you want to become rich, do not join the profession, but if you want to enrich your own life and the lives of others, then find the passion and commitment to enter teaching. It is a gift that keeps on giving, being in the presence of God’s precious gems, His children,” he says.
Samodien was born to Rugaya and Mogamat Samodien, the fifth son of eight children. His hobbies include reading, gardening, painting and playing table tennis.
“Teaching is a selfless job, there are no financial rewards, but interacting with little human beings on a daily basis is priceless,” he says.
