South Peninsula High School welcomes principal Samsodien-Myburgh
|Published
WHEN she started working at South Peninsula High School in Diep River 21 years ago, Faadiyah Samsodien-Myburgh didn’t think she would one day be principal there, a role she officially started this year.
Her appointment followed the retirement of former principal Zeid Baker, last year.
Samsodien-Myburgh, 51, from Retreat, said she had good mentors who had all played a role in preparing her for her new role.
“It’s a little overwhelming no matter how many things you need to be doing, there’s always another thing to get through all in the day, people you need to see and address. But I’ve had good mentorship, good assistance, and I am being assisted by a good team of people.”
She became a permanent staff member at South Peninsula in 2000.
“I can't say when I started teaching, at some point my goal was to be a principal. My work ethic and how I work and your results speak and it gets noticed. Your manager and leader look and they see qualities in you that may be beneficial to the institution.
“When I started teaching, I was asked to take on responsibilities.”
She was encouraged to do more and while the expectations and standard were high, it helped her gain more experience, “I became good at what I did”, she said.
Her first senior appointment was as head of department.
Samsodien-Myburgh teaches economics, business studies and accounting.
She is a mother of two sons who both attended the school and are currently completing their tertiary education.
“They were both educated at this school, it speaks to the quality of education.”
She said many past pupils often came back to the school to say thank you for the impact the school had on their lives.
“We prepare them for tertiary education, their success stories are more after South Peninsula. A lot has to do with the ethos of the school. Apart from the values of respect and kindness, in service to others, you develop a culture where learners work independently,” the educator said.
“We push them in ways when they exceed, they surprise themselves.”
From the way they addressed learners, as “learners of excellence,” to speaking to them with kindness, “it’s not beneath us to pick up papers,” she said.
“These are the values they take with them outside the school.”
Cape Times