A special celebration was held at the Rhiza Babuyile ECD Classroom in Diepsloot to honour early childhood development practitioner Hilda Nkuna for her dedication to education and the lasting impact she has had on learners and the community.
The event was organised by Eljoy Maluleke and his family, together with the Rhiza Babuyile ECD team, as a gesture of gratitude towards the woman who helped shape his educational journey from an early age.
Currently in his first year studying Economics at the University of the Witwatersrand, Eljoy described Hilda as someone who inspired him to care about people and value education.
“The moment she inspired me was in the classroom. She would ensure that all the students progressed at the same time, not leaving one behind. Even to this day, seeing all children do well has encouraged me to become a person who cares about people and not position,” said Eljoy.
Hilda has spent 17 years working in the early childhood development sector and has led a number of programmes at Rhiza, including Amandla, E-squared, BMW, Momentum, Buleng, Woolworths, SAFT, and local ECD initiatives in Diepsloot and Tembisa. Her work has included accelerated learning programmes as well as NQF Level 4 and Level 5 practitioner training.
Over the years, Hilda has moved from working directly with children to training and preparing practitioners and principals from more than 300 preschools. Many of those she trained have gone on to establish their own ECD centres, while others now work alongside her as facilitators.
Speaking about the challenges she has faced, Hilda said community expectations and misunderstandings around sponsorship and support programmes often create difficulties. She also highlighted the challenge of following up on unpaid school fees while trying to maintain quality education for learners.
Despite these challenges, she remains passionate about improving the quality of early childhood development in South Africa.
“My vision for ECD in South Africa is for principals and practitioners to receive remuneration on par with teachers. I also want all children entering primary school to be well prepared with a strong educational foundation taught by qualified practitioners,” she said.
Eljoy, who dreams of becoming a financial economist, said he hopes to one day help address financial challenges facing the country and contribute towards reducing poverty in South Africa.
The celebration served as a reminder of the important role educators play in shaping future leaders and building stronger communities through education.