The event brought together students, mentor teachers, and academic staff to honour teachers and to highlight the strong collaborations between the Siyabuswa Campus and 15 local schools, which enable students to complete work-integrated learning placements in rural communities.
World Teachers’ Day 2025, celebrated under the theme Recasting teaching as a collaborative profession, aims to raise awareness, understanding, and appreciation for the vital contribution teachers make to education and development worldwide.
The day underscored the importance of teamwork, shared expertise, and mutual support among teachers, across education systems, and with external partners, to strengthen the profession and improve learning outcomes.
Opening the event, Professor Samukelisiwe Khumalo, Dean of the Faculty of Education at UMP, emphasised the crucial role teachers play in shaping society.
She commended both student and mentor teachers for their commitment to excellence and continuous learning.
UMP Director of Academic Services, Dr Marinkie Madiope, highlighted the importance of partnership, reflection, and shared professional growth in transforming the education landscape.
She encouraged teachers to view collaboration not only as teamwork but as an essential practice that enriches teaching and learning communities.
Following the keynote, student teachers and mentor teachers took part in a reflection session, sharing their experiences, challenges, and achievements in their teaching journeys.
The discussion encouraged mutual learning and affirmed the value of mentorship in teacher development.
The celebration held lesson demonstrations by student teachers, showcasing innovative teaching strategies, creativity, and the effective integration of theory and practice, which reflected the high level of commitment within the Faculty of Education.
Later, guests attended parallel classroom demonstrations led by YL3 and YL4 students in English, Life Skills, Mathematics, and Home Language that enabled visitors to observe practical teaching strategies, learner engagement techniques, and innovative lesson planning.
The day showcased the effectiveness of UMP’s teaching practice model and reflected the growing competence and confidence of student teachers. The event ended with an awards ceremony.
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