Award winners set example at school

Award winners set example at school

 

TIRELESS community worker Phuti Rakgophala and her Pulamadibogo Permaculture Orphans and Vulnerable Resources Centre are shining examples of selflessness, sharing, caring and nurturing.

This humble winner of innovative early childhood development programmes in the 2009 South African ECD Awards is principal of the Pulamadibogo Primary School at Mankweng, east of Polokwane, in Limpopo.

This previous winner of the Premier's Award - among other kudos - is among several other award winners for academic and community-building excellence. The rest of the teaching staff and auxiliary workers at the school also carry an almost equal amount of dedication.

A former teacher at the school, David Modiba, is a former winner of the prestigious Aggrey Klaaste Maths, Science and Technology Educator of the Year Award. Modiba still keeps in touch with the school, explained Rakgophala in an interview at the school recently "because here we are a family and we all lead by example, both individually and collectively".

The other top achievers are Mmaphiri Mamabolo for the Edu Plant Greening Award, MP Motlhake and her team for having nurtured a world-winning schools rugby team and Stephina Rakgoale and her coaching team, who are in charge of a competitive schools cricket team.

Rakgophala, who was a finalist in the 2008 Shoprite Woman of the Year Award, said she, Modiba and other teachers and pupils have set the trend of giving part or all of their award proceeds to the school.

Rakgophala's R15000 prize money from the Premier's Award has been used for a palisade fence for safety and security.

"We have earmarked the R20 000 prize money from the ECD Awards for direly needed support materials for our pupils. Modiba's prize money was used to erect a new block," Rakgophala said.

Among other good things at the school, the parents have built four new classrooms. A local businessman, Solly Mohale, donated R12000 to help the parents.

We met parents Ephraim Thabane and Mamsy Mamabolo, who help around the school. Thabane takes care of the permaculture side of the school, ensuring that the school's poultry projects continue to feed destitute children and augment the school's coffers by selling eggs, chickens and fruits and vegetables to the community.

"We are also nurturing future pharmacists, biologists and agricultural scientists by ensuring that each pupil takes a turn in the gardens and the poultry sheds to learn about the herbs and the diverse farm produce," Rakgophala said.

Mamabolo helps keep the classrooms clean and with the sale of the fresh produce. Twenty-three other parents help the school with security, catering, cleaning and gardening.

One of the teachers, a man, inducting the school's eight ECD classes, is Dibakgeng Modiba. They use the latest innovative methods and this has ensured that their charges do well from Grade 1 onwards.

Reading, writing and competitive articulation is encouraged through books. Pupils buy books for only R3 each. Reading club-like sessions yield individual and group winners and the winners are given more books as prizes for their exemplary efforts.

One disturbing snag at the school is its asbestos roof. Asbestos causes asbestosis, inflammation of the lungs caused by inhaling asbestos. Parents and teachers worry about whether the children are affected over the seven years they spend at Pulamadibogo before venturing to higher primary school.

The South African ECD Awards is a project of Absa, Sowetan, SABC Education, Unicef, South African Congress for ECD, the Jim Joel Fund and the national social development and basic education depart

Meet the top of the teaching crop: Phuti Ragophala

Meet the top of the teaching crop: Phuti Ragophala

2011-10-16 10:00

Phuti Ragophala, a 53-year-old Limpopo school principal and married mother of three,has won this year’s prestigious Stars in Education award. Picture: Lebogang Makwela

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When Phuti Ragophala noticed growing numbers of poor learners, orphans and unemployed parents linked to her school seven years ago, she knew it was time to do something about it.

The 53-year-old Limpopo school principal established a community farming project at her Pula-madibong Primary School in Mankweng, east of Polokwane, to help impart skills and create jobs for the mostly illiterate locals.

The married mother of three, a teacher for the past 24 years, wanted to use the Pula-madibong Itsoseng Permaculture Orphans and Vulnerable Children Resource Centre to help reduce the level of poverty by growing and selling vegetables and herbs, and raising chickens for sale.

“Learners from impoverished families were here. Torn school uniforms! No shoes! No what! All those challenges were facing me as principal. As a principal, I must make sure everyone is developed,” Ragophala said.

Ragophala’s efforts were rewarded this week when she walked away with the prestigious Stars in Education 2011 award.

Organised by the South African Council of Education, it celebrates the outstanding contribution that teachers make to the lives of our youth.

According to the Cape Town-based organisation, she was recognised “for turning a former dumping site into
what she calls a forest of food that benefits community members, orphans and neighbouring schools”.

Not bad for someone who became a teacher after failing to be admitted to nursing college.

Ragophala, who walked between 15km and 30km to school when she was a primary school pupil back home in Bochum, mobilised successful former learners of Pula-madibogo to give back to the community by adopting poor learners. So far, eight learners have been adopted.

She also organised computer training for her school’s 25 support staff members – illiterate and unemployed parents who had been volunteering for many years as labourers, cleaners and security guards in exchange for stipends.

Carthbertina Mothiba (39), a volunteer since 2007, said she was now able to use a computer to draw up budgets, type, write minutes and keep records.

“My wish is to be hired as a clerk at the school one day. That is my dream,” she said.

Jerrica Kgopa (13), a Grade?7 learner, said she already knew “how to type and store documents on the computer”.

A proud Ragophala said: “It’s quite amazing. I got two big awards within two weeks. What amazed the judges was that the unemployed parents, the so-called illiterate parents, are able to integrate IT with the sweeping, cleaning and running of the project. It is possible.”

Because the rules of the competition demanded that the R10?000 prize money be used for the development of the school’s support staff members, Ragophala decided to divide it among them, adding they will get R400 each.

“I enter competitions, but I do not use the money. I give it to them. But I said that the money must be used for the school needs of their kids. I want to see tangible things,” Ragophala added.

Ragophala, who holds a diploma in project management from Unisa, plans to retire in two years’ time and register a non-profit organisation to help poor beneficiaries of the country’s land restitution programme.

- City Press

 

 

South Africa’s Top Teacher Named by ISPA

South Africa’s Top Teacher Named by ISPA

Phuti Ragophala has been named South Africa’s ‘Super Teacher of the Year 2011′ by the Internet Service Providers` Association of SA (ISPA) at an awards ceremony held at Montecasino in Fourways, Johannesburg last week.

Ms Ragophala from Pula Madibogo Primary School in Limpopo was amongst eight finalists identified by ISPA as having best utilized their newly-acquired computer skills knowledge for the benefit of their communities after participating in ISPA’s ‘Train the Teacher’ Initiative.

The 10^th Anniversary of this initiative also saw two new awards presented for the first time. Fiona Wallace, Chairperson of ISPA’s Teacher Training Working Group, presented Sonnyboy Baloyi with the Trainer of the Year Award while Barbara Heron of Parktown Boys’ High School in Johannesburg, and Mmipe Mokgehle of Toronto Primary School in Limpopo, were named as ISPA ICT Champions.

The awards formed part of iWeek, South Africa`s premier Internet industry event, which ran for most of last week. The award winners received prizes such as laptop computers, Blackberry smartphones and all-expenses paid attendance at key IT conferences, boosting both their opportunities for personal advancement and their ability to offer training to their learners.

Recognising the growing need for computer skills training and the importance of computer-literate teachers, ISPA established ‘Train the Teacher’ in December 2001. To date, ISPA has successfully trained some 2238 educators at more than 250 under-resourced and rural schools nationwide.

The annual ‘Super Teacher of the Year’ Award invited educators to compete with projects through which they are promoting and developing computer skills in their own schools and communities.

Twenty-six projects were registered for the competition in the first phase of the awards. Each project was assessed according to the teachers’ use of newly-acquired computer skills in their own teaching practice as well as their use of their skills for the benefit of their colleagues, learners or wider community.

The seven Super Teacher of the Year finalists were Thembi Mathobela, Adelaide Madiba, and Alpheus Mogashoa, all from Toronto Primary in Limpopo; Phuti Ragophala of Pula-Madibogo Primary in Limpopo; Maoto Setaole of Mountainview Senior Secondary School in Limpopo; Judi Le Roux of Coffee Bay Christian Comprehensive School in Eastern Cape; and MJ Poopedi of Thokgwaneng Primary School in Limpopo.

ISPA’s Teacher Training programme this year has received support from a growing list of sponsors including Uniforum SA, MTN Business, Internet Solutions, Adept Internet, eNetworks, MWEB, Neotel, Avuxeni Computer Academy, Future Foundation and Switch Telecom.

Published: Monday, September 26th, 2011

Issued By:
Name: Ivan Booth
Company: Reliable Sources PR
Phone Number: 082 851 7419
Email Address:

More Info :
Name: Elaine Zinn
Company: ISPA Secretariat
Phone Number:
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SADTU STATEMENT ON ITS MEMBER HONOURED BY MICROSOFT

04 December 2013                                                                                           

SADTU member is a Microsoft expert educator

 SADTU is proud to announce that one of its members who is a principal of a primary school in Limpopo,   has been chosen as a global leader in using technology to transform education.

Phuti Ragophala, Principal and EMS teacher for Grade 7 at Pula-Madibogo Primary school in Mankweng, Limpopo applied to be selected together with 29 000 teachers world-wide. She and 249 others were selected Microsoft’s Expert Educators. .

She is one of the two Expert Educators selected from South Africa.  Her counterpart is Sheryl Douglas from a High School in the Western Cape.

As an Expert Educator, Ragophala has been invited to attend the Microsoft in Education Global Forum in Barcelona, Spain in March 2014. She will also receive a free Microsoft Surface RT device for her school, insider access to Microsoft strategy and technologies and professional and career development opportunities and certifications including peer coaching.

Ragophala had to undergo a rigorous application process. She had to fill out an online application, create a learning activity and a two-to- three minute video that describes her project and how she used technology and innovative teaching practices to influence learner outcomes.

She was selected for her project “Planting seeds! Changing lives! That talks about sectors of economy (different states on how food is produced); technological tools that were used to enhance teaching and learning and how the lesson impacted learners and community members.

 “Being a Microsoft Expert educator will help me to increase learning outcomes for my students, as well as drive technology in education on a global stage. I am absolutely thrilled to have been selected as one of Microsoft Educators. I look forward to making the most of the mentoring and learning opportunities that are now available to me” she said.

The winners were selected by a worldwide group of judges who used a broad set of criteria to assess the educators’ evidence of learning, collaboration, knowledge construction and critical thinking, among other things.

“To be considered for an Expert Educator, educators must demonstrate a commitment to innovation and the ability to overcome obstacles in preparing students to be 21^st century learners. Educators are selected based on their innovation, leadership skills and effective use of technology for better learning and student’s outcome,” Anthony  Sacito, Vice President, Worldwide Education, Microsoft Corp said.

However, these teachers should not only do innovative work in the classroom; they should be actively mentoring others and creating change in their own education systems. They should set examples for their peers, Sacito explained.

That is exactly what Ragophala does. She always encourages her teachers to take part in IT workshops, to use IT in the classroom and has addressed many platforms encouraging teachers and communities about the importance of IT.

Her selection by Microsoft is another milestone in a series of achievements she had acquired previously. In 2011 she was a recipient of Stars in Education Award, which recognizes teachers who go an extra mile in bringing positive change in learners and surrounding communities. While last year she was honoured by Internet Service Provider Association (ISPA) for being a teacher who best used her newly acquired computer skills for the benefit of her community. 

Ragophala’ s win could not have come at a better time for her and the school.

Her computer laboratory is not a laboratory but a classroom with 42 computers of which only 16 are in working order.  It is hot as there is no air conditioning.  The school has to foot the bill to service the computers and to buy data bundles in order to connect to the internet. It is hard to keep these machines running all the time as the government is not providing finances for the laboratory.  The school has to therefore work hard to fundraise 

ISSUED BY:  SADTU Secretariat

CONTACT

General Secretary, Mugwena Maluleke                     082 783 2968

Deputy General Secretary, Nkosana Dolopi               082 709 5157

Media Officer, Nomusa Cembi                                      082 719 5157

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Phuthi Ragophala - YouTube

 

Phuthi Ragophala - YouTube

Pula-Madibogo Primaty School

 

Pula-Madibogo Primaty School

Bulldog Reader Blog: bridging books, lessons and technology

Bulldog Reader Blog: bridging books, lessons and technology Search Main menu Skip to primary content Skip to secondary content   Contact Form  Book Trailers  Mrs. Hembree’s Book Trailers  Student Book Trailers  Writing Comments  Books to Africa Post navigation ← Previous Next → What dog is in Sovenga? Posted on June 26, 2014 by Mrs. Hembree Share on facebookShare on twitterShare on emailShare on printMore Sharing Services Where is Dogzilla? I think the book Dogzilla is in Sovenga, South Africa! Yes, the hilarious book by Dav Pilkey was one of the books we sent to Mrs. Phuti Ragophala at Pula Madibogo Primary School, in the Limpopo Province. One of the boys read the book Dogzilla to me on Skype last night. Dav Pilkey, who wrote Dogzilla, is also the author of the Captain Underpants series. His books have been making children laugh for years! Last evening at 11:15 pm, I skyped with Phuti, two of her teachers, Mohlake and Molepo, plus a classroom of students! They were so excited about the boxes of books we sent that they wanted to talk to us live on Skype. Here is are some photos from their classroom during our Skype visit. Four or five of the students read portions of one of their favorite books. Just being able to read aloud on Skype was a huge motivation to practice reading for these children. We are calling this project “TechnoReading!” In South Africa, the teachers call their students by a different term.They call the children learners. I like that word better than students. It just seems to say what we all do – we LEARN! I hope to Skype again this summer and then once school starts we will arrange for a call and a time when our students can participate. We will have to write a sing a song for our friends. They sent me a video on Facebook, but unfortunately I can’t figure out how to download it and post it on the blog. If we get the technology worked out, I will post it here. The teachers have already asked for more books! I was sad to say that we have to wait until we raise more money for postage in the fall. Now I can’t wait for school to start again. Look at all the books on this cart that are waiting for new homes. Even Jett, Mrs.Daly’s dog helped out when she came up to the library to add to our book donation cart. Are you wondering where this school is located and where some of these books will go in the fall? Here is the general area where the school is located in South Africa. In case you were wondering also, how I could know someone 10,000 miles away from our school, I have the answer. Mrs. Ragophala and I met in March at the Microsoft Global Forum in Barcelona, Spain. We started talking about our projects, and she was very interested to hear that we send books to schools in South Africa. Before you know it, we added another school to our Books to Africa project! She was selected to attend for her project “Planting seeds” Changing lives! This project is about the different stages on how food is produced, technological tools that were used to enhance teaching and learning & how the lesson impacted learners and community members. She has been teaching for 27 years at Pula Madibogo Primary School, of which nine years being a principal. I hope you are as motivated to read as the students at Pula Madibogo Primary School. Who has already read 5 books this summer? Let me a comment and let me know! Happy Reading! Mrs. Hembree You might also like: Acrostics for our Bobcat Friends Merry Christmas from All of Us to You! Kindergarten Library Fun Linkwithin This entry was posted in Barcelona 2014, Blogging Buddies, Books to Africa, Expert Educator, Library News, Skyping by Mrs. Hembree. Bookmark the permalink. 0 THOUGHTS ON “WHAT DOG IS IN SOVENGA?” 1. Phuti Ragophala on June 28, 2014 at 6:52 am said: Your comment is awaiting moderation. Oh my God! Thank you so much Julie. The blog you created is so inspiring and it will encourage my colleques and learners to be more engaged in Techno reading project. I really love it. cheers! Reply ↓ Leave a Reply Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked * Name *