MANDISA Mtolo is no ordinary teacher.
And the 37-year-old has the international awards to prove it.
The business studies teacher from Mthubesizwe Secondary School in Mandeni, northern KZN, was recently named the Iconic Educator of the Year at the Global Teachers Awards. This is Mandisa’s second international award.
In March, she was awarded Best Educator of the Year in the Ashbab Global Impact Awards. Mandisa believes her love for her job, passion to transform and going the extra mile to change pupils’ lives paved the way for her international recognition. She said her work does not start and end when the school bell rings, but she sacrifices her break time, free period and afternoons to make sure no pupil is left behind. “I save a portion of my salary every month so I can help pupils when they need to go somewhere like district games or national competitions.
“The school money does not fund transportation,” she said.
Mandisa said growing up in a disadvantaged background played a huge role in influencing her decision.
“Growing up in a rural area where there were no opportunities inspired me to help my pupils so that they have a chance to explore all the opportunities available to them and not be excluded in most activities that urban schools participate in.”
On International Women’s Day, she was awarded the MVLA International Ideal Woman Achiever Award, while the Mount Vernon Ladies Association Organisation’s Trust Global Achievers /Teachers Award Conference 2021 announced her as winner of the Global Teacher Hall of Fame Award. She was also announced as Outstanding Teacher of the Year by Global Education Summit.
She has also won best teacher awards in KZN and nationally.
“I am over the moon that the work I do to improve pupils’ lives is recognised. But I wasn’t doing it for awards, I was doing it to see my pupils succeed in life.”
Mandisa encouraged all teachers to have passion and be eager to see their pupils succeed. Her other awards are:
- Certificate of appreciation in 2015, 2019 and 2020.
- Department of Transport certificate of appreciation, trophies and gold medals in 2014.
- School of Education Tutors Award for Computer Applications Technology from Durban University of Technology, Faculty of Arts and Design in 2010.
- Trophies from Department of Sports Administration for excelling in ballroom and Latin dance as well as athletics.
