Meet the world’s best Physical Science teacher, Xolile Sibisi. Picture: Supplied
A KwaZulu-Natal-born teacher, Xolile Sibisi, has won the Best Global Teacher Award for the third time successively.
Sibisi, who was born and raised in Newcastle, north-west of the province, was crowned the best world Physical Science teacher in the fifth annual Global Education Awards in Dubai on Sunday. Her previous wins were in 2022 and 2023.
In a telephone interview on Wednesday while in Dubai, Sibisi was ecstatic about scooping the award for the third time, saying she was proud of her continuous recognition of her contribution to nation-building through education.
She said all her pupils not only pass her subjects but do so with many distinctions which makes them qualified for university acceptance.
“This means a lot to me. The award comes with no prize money but it is worth more than money to me. I am proud to have changed the lives of the people through education,” said Sibisi.
Before jetting out to Dubai for the global awards, she was crowned the best Physical Science teacher in the Greater Johannesburg district for the third time successively, having won in 2019, 2022, and 2024 for producing a 100% pass rate.
She is a Physics teacher at Curro Academy in Soweto where she teaches 28 pupils. All her matric pupils got 100% in Physics and 90% got seven distinctions. She has also established her academy where she teaches other pupils from other schools Physical Science.
She started teaching Physics in 2017 in Soweto and had previously been teaching in KwaZulu-Natal since 2007.
Describing her childhood background, she said she grew up in a poor family where her father and mother were unemployed in Newcastle. She said she initially wanted to be an accountant but her teacher in Grade 12 grabbed her and told her she belonged to the Physical Science class.
willem.phungula@inl.co.za