LIMPOPO teacher Tebogo Molepo is in the US for the 2023 Mandela Washington Fellowship programme.
The 32-year-old from Kalkspruit Village in Ga-Mashashane outside Polokwane, Limpopo left Mzansi on Tuesday, 20 June and will be in the US for six weeks.
Tebogo, who is an intermediate and senior phase teacher at Mautswi Primary School in Matseke Village in Botlokwa outside Polokwane, will study towards leadership in civic engagement at Kansas State University and is one of 700 young leaders in Sub-Sahara African countries to take part in the programme.
He told Daily Sun he filled out an application form, got shortlisted for the semi-finals, went for interviews and was selected as one of the 700 young leaders in Africa.
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He said he's excited to be part of the programme. “This is a prestigious opportunity. I know this is only the first step towards global recognition and it is the most important one as I was recognised by Young African Leaders Initiative,” he said.
Tebogo said he has always wanted to be an outstanding teacher who makes an impact in leadership. “Having this opportunity to study abroad is very special not only for me, but for my school and the community I come from,” he said.
The teacher hopes to gain leadership and management skills to improve some of the challenges they face at his school and in communities.
“This achievement means a lot to me and the people around me, particularly my pupils because it serves as an inspiration and motivation to them that anything is possible,” he said.
The excited English and economics management sciences teacher, who has been working since 2016, said working as a teacher has not been plain sailing. “But I wouldn’t change or trade it for anything because I love and enjoy teaching," said Tebogo.
