17-06-2025
Former Pinedene girl now teaches next door
VANDERBIJLPARK – From classroom dreams to chalkboard reality.
A Pinedene Primary alumna is back in town, not as a learner, but as a teacher. Meet Makhosazana Mehlomakhulu, a grade four teacher at Oakwood Primary School, a stone's throw away from where her future dreams began.
Affectively known as 'Teacher Khosi' by her fellow pupils, the 24-year-old's story is living proof that destiny waits for no one.
As early as Grade One, Khosi has always wanted to follow in her mother's footsteps, who has been teaching for more than 33 years.
It seems the apple didn't fall far from the tree as the Vanderbijlpark-born and bred cool girl nurtures young minds in the very community that raised her.
As the nation marks June as Youth Month, Khosi's story is a timely reminder of how far passion and purpose can take you, especially when education leads the way.
Speaking to Ster, Khosi shared her life story from her first day in primary school, her matric at THS Carel de Wet, and later taking up her academics at North-West University.
'After completing my grade 12, I furthered my studies at North-West University, where I studied a Bachelor of Education. I passed with cum laude. In 2023, I completed my Bachelor of Honours Degree in Education Management and Leadership and graduated in 2024,' she said proudly.
Reminiscing on her foundation phase days when she was asked what she wanted to become, Khosi said she stuck to her calling no matter what.
'I've always known what I wanted, and my mom has always been my biggest inspiration. Her passion, drive, selflessness, and compassion for kids are the reason I wanted to follow in her footsteps,' she said.
While her university journey was an easy one, Khosi said her first year in teaching came with its hurdles.
'I was studying postgraduate full-time and teaching at the same time. Juggling those two things was difficult to say the least, but I pushed through,' she said.
Sharing her rewarding tale of what it means to be a teacher, Khosi sure seems to enjoy being a mother to hundreds of kids.
'Being a teacher is not easy because you're a mother to more than 100 kids. Every day, you answer thousands of questions. The biggest reward is knowing that you're making a difference in children's lives. For me, knowing that you're someone's safe space in a world of chaos is the biggest incentive,' she said.
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