Inspired by his former educators at Pellsrus Primary School in Jeffreys Bay and Humansdorp Senior Secondary School, Ashwin Hammond pursued a career in education.
With hard work and dedication, he was recently appointed as the principal at Môrewag Primary School in Gqeberha, where he plans to take the school to new heights.
Hammond started his schooling career in 1997 when he first stepped into Pellsrus Primary as a Grade R learner.
Since there were no high schools in Jeffreys Bay at the time, he completed Grade 9 at Pellsrus Primary, where he was selected as head boy in his final year, before starting Grade 10 at Humansdorp Senior, where he matriculated in 2009.
Hammond said that he had the best time as a learner at Pellsrus Primary, where he spent a lot of time in the cultural department.
He said that even though he did well academically, the staff taught him the importance of respect, friendliness, and discipline.
“I always admired my teachers, both at primary school and high school. They had a big influence on me and who I am today,” said Hammond.
Motivated by his teachers, he pursued a Bachelor of Education at Nelson Mandela University from 2010 to 2013. He went on to complete his Honours Degree in Education in 2016.
Hammond then began teaching at Môrewag in 2014 and was appointed as the department head for the intermediate and senior phases in 2019.
He was then appointed as deputy principal in 2021 and finally this year he was promoted to principal.
“I took the experiences learned while at primary school and high school with me when I became a teacher and now again as a principal,” said Hammond.
Now that he is principal, he said he has great plans for the school, which he will implement using his humanist approach.
Through this approach, Hammond said that it is vital that the school is not just seen as a building but also a place where children and the community at large are impacted.
He further said he plans to provide a platform for all children to flourish and showcase their talents.
“I have a responsibility to provide each child with the opportunity to develop their unique talent,” said Hammond. “I have realised that educators are important in the lives of children because they can be a light when needed, and I do not take this job lightly.”
Hammond further said that he plans to improve the school’s literacy and numeracy skills with a large emphasis on Information and Communications Technology in the classroom since we live in a digital world.
“Digital literacy is very important, and it can be utilised as a powerful tool for education. It is also important that children are taught about using social media responsibly,” said Hammond.
Additionally, since there are not enough special needs schools in the Eastern Cape, he said that he plans to offer inclusive education where all learners can be taught. “Incorporating special needs children can be a tough thing to do at a school, but we have brilliant staff who are passionate, hard-working, and flexible, which I believe is a recipe for success,” said Hammond.
While implementing his plans, he said that he would focus heavily on empathy, which is a motto he stands firmly on.
“I live and breathe empathy, and I believe that many difficulties faced in the world are a result of a lack of empathy,” said Hammond.
