AS Zethembe Sibiya was knocking on doors looking for a job in electrical engineering, he decided to find something else to keep him busy while he waited.
So the 26-year-old from Mzingazi in Richards Bay, northern KZN, started helping pupils with maths and science. And he held extra classes not knowing that he would eventually fall in love with teaching.
“I am the last born at home so after I completed matric, my brothers told me not to go for teaching because they were already teachers. They wanted me to do something different, but I guess teaching is my true calling,” he said.
Zethembe said he started helping pupils in 2015 and the classroom has since become one of his favourite places. He said when one of his brothers saw his passion for teaching, he joined forces with him to help more children even outside of Richards Bay. They opened KWV Maths and Science Academy, which now helps pupils from grades 8 to 12.
“We named the academy KWV because many people told us that our teaching style is smooth and sweet like KWV wine.
“What makes me happy is seeing children who were struggling with maths and science master and fall in love with these subjects. That is where I realised that I was called for this,” he said.
Zethembe said as much as he is a self-taught teacher, he is considering studying an education course in future as he does not see himself doing any other job.
“Getting into teaching was very easy because I am a very talkative person and this helped me manoeuvre easily when conducting classes,” said Zethembe.
Zethembe currently teaches full-time at KWV Upgrading Centre, which is based in Nseleni just outside Richards Bay, but they conduct classes everywhere they are called.
