A true ambassador in both the fields of technical skills development and academic teaching and learning, Raees Rodgers, has been appointed as the new principal of the Technical High School (THS) Welkom.
Rodgers (46), a former lecturer of the Northern Cape Technical College and an engineering academic of the National Institute for Higher Education (NIHE), was officially appointed by the Free State department of education on 28 April.
The goal-driven disciplinarian matriculated from the Floors Senior Secondary School in Kimberley in the Northern Cape.
After ten years of service with Transnet as an electrical fitter technician, he joined the Northern Cape Technical College to assist with the implementation of the new National Certificate Vocational programme (NCV).
He received multiple awards for facilitation using various methodologies, and continued to study in the field of education, as well as education management systems.
In 2008 he joined the NIHE to assist the Engineering students with their academic performance, and was later appointed as the senior Engineering lecturer for the institute.
Rodgers quickly moved to the Bachelor of Education faculty at the NIHE, where he lectured subjects for the University of the Western Cape (UWC), the North West University (NWU), the University of South Africa (Unisa), the Vaal University of Technology (VUT), as well as the Sol Plaatje University (SPU), for many years before relocating to Welkom in 2016.
He accepted a position at THS Welkom in 2017 teaching Electronics, Electrical Technology and Mathematics and in 2019 was appointed as the departmental head for both Mathematics and Technical Mathematics.
At the time of his most recent appointment he was the acting deputy head of the school.
Rodgers is an upright person, believing in transparency, and is always willing to listen and help wherever he can.
He is highly loved and respected by all the learners, staff and parents of the THS community.
“The task ahead of us all at THS is a huge one, but I believe not only in myself and the ability of the teachers, but also in the capability of our learners,” says Rodgers.
“Together, with the individual brilliance of each role player, we will ensure that the school returns to its former glory and becomes the academic and skills development hub for all learners of Welkom.”
Rodgers says his biggest supporter is his wife, Azeezah, herself also a cum laude graduate in the field of Bachelor of Education, who ensures that he remains grounded and faces all his tasks head-on.
Azeezah also teaches at THS and believes that there is none more capable of transforming the school than her husband.
