Dr Hlabathi Maapola-Thobejane

This book comes in a form of a letter written by a Grade 12 learner who decided to reflect on their school’s prize-giving ceremonies. Scenarios that show how diverse learners become negatively affected by these ceremonies are highlighted. Teachers, parents and the whole society put too much pressure on children to receive awards every year at school.

However, these awards make them arrogant, inconsiderate and selfish. They also make them find it difficult to cope with criticism and failure as they venture in life. Those that are excluded from getting awards at these ceremonies after having invested a lot of their time and effort studying, become frustrated, inferior and demotivated. They see themselves as failures, excluded and not treasured, because they also want to be celebrated.

The book shows the need to review how diverse learners should be celebrated without discrimination at schools.

Dr Hlabathi Maapola-Thobejane started teaching in 1993 when she was 20 years of age. During her tenure in the Department of Basic Education, she occupied all levels of the teaching fraternity: a teacher, an acting departmental head, a deputy principal and a principal of a township secondary school. She taught at primary schools, secondary schools, at a special school and at a full-service school.

She also worked for JET Education Services as a technical advisor for teaching and learning on the TVET college improvement project. She had trained teachers and education specialists on inclusive education in all nine provinces of South Africa for the Department of Basic Education and Macmillan Education. She has also been a lecturer at the University of Limpopo. Currently, she is a lecturer at UNISA, in the Department of Inclusive Education.