SO CLOSE TO A FATHER

SO CLOSE TO A FATHER.

Pushing his big belly forward with pride like a pregnant woman on her last Month before labour, my high School principal is friendly with everyone. You see his shiny black polished shoes first as he exits his office on his way to the School corridors.

Walking around as though he owns everyone, you hear his voice from the other side of the school and immediately you rush to class, this man carried his cane all around the building like a shepherd on his way to fetch his sheep.

You would swear he has a spell upon everyone, the way students and Educators respond to him is just so unbelievable.

His presence is felt as he opens his mouth and projects with his tenor, sharp voice for everyone to hear. This short in length guy is father to two, having being principal for 4 years at Simunye high school Mr K. Smayile is a brilliant leader.

Often mocking students during Interval, This dramatic 58 year old man is very much denied by his age, to prove his energy he jumps now and then when playing around with sport students.

And oh please don’t get it twisted, he does not take nonsense it’s either his way or the high way. Giving me an opportunity of studying through a scholarship throughout my high School career, he is proof that real fathers are out there.

Simunye high School has a number of students being sponsored by the South African Scholars Fund. Students have shown interest in going to School and getting good marks.

Mr Smayile is the only present teacher during Detention and God did he make it unforgettable for most of us; He does his work with pride and knows every face that enters the building.

Brushing his bald head every morning Mr Smayile is a strong believer in Corporal punishment, and sometimes it worries me because if it were a crime he would be behind bars a very long time ago.

Running his fat hands covered in a grey handkerchief down his sweaty face on a hot summer morning as he addresses a crowd of late comers every morning, he uses every available Language he knows trying to get the message across and making it clear that should they be late again there will be hell.

This School Master is a lover of languages and encourages all his students to try learning a third language, practising what he preaches he speaks Afrikaans now and again even though he may be talking to Black students.

Working very closely with his wife in developing the School and ensuring it reaches its full potential you would find them in his office having private meetings about what student is and is not performing well academically over lunch.