The walls of his office are festooned with newspaper and magazine clippings, diplomas and certificates and awards from various organisations, including the Western Cape Education Department, that speak to an intense passion about teaching and the crucial role of education in society and the hard work that goes into its approaches.

For Llewellyn van der Ross, newly-appointed deputy principal of Edgemead Primary School, one of these honours was being named District Winner in the category National Best Teacher Award in the National Teaching Awards of 2024. He went on to be named Provincial Winner, and last year, at the National Teaching Awards 2025, he served as Provincial Adjudicator for the category National Best Teacher.

This year Van der Ross, who graduated with a masters’ degree from Stellenbosch University in 2024, achieved yet another milestone – an international award for his master’s research from the Antonio Meneghetti Scientific and Humanistic Research Foundation, a Swiss non-profit foundation in consultative status with the United Nations Economic and Social Council.

Research

“My master’s degree topic was ‘Reading comprehension losses during the Covid-19 lockdowns: An exploratory study of learning losses during the pandemic”. My motivation for writing on this topic was because I could see the impact this extended school closure had on my learners’ ability to read for meaning as a Grade 7 English Home Language teacher. This ignited my curiosity to explore this research area to gain a better understanding.

“My co-supervisor for my master’s thesis, Dr Shannon Bishop-Swart at Stellenbosch University, nominated me for this international award under the topic ‘Systems and Personality: Social Relations and Individual Identity in Current and Future Scenarios’.

“I was very surprised to receive international recognition for my research as a young, coloured male from the Cape Flats. I am truly honoured, and I feel a sense of pride. I would like to acknowledge my incredible supervisors for my master’s thesis: Professor Christa van der Walt and my co-supervisor, Dr Shannon Bishop-Swart.”

Career

Van der Ross, from Kuils River, was a teacher, subject head of English at Tuscany Glen Primary School for nine years before being appointed deputy at Edgemead Primary on 1 July.

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