Teacher's love for her pupils drives them to help others

SHE loves her pupils so much that she gives all her time and resources for their betterment.

That is what Westville High School pupils feel about their teacher, friend and mentor Alida Drude, 47, who they say goes beyond the call of duty to ensure that pupils are not sucked in by the social ills that plague Nelson Mandela Bay's northern areas.

In an area where drugs, gangsterism and crime threaten the very fabric of society, Drude has made it her mission to avoid a similar fate for her pupils.

Instead of giving up on those who failed, were affected by domestic problems or addicted to drugs, pupils said Ms Dru (as she is known) counsels them. She even checks the drug-addicted into rehabilitation.

She was the driving force behind the I Care Group, an outreach initiative which teaches pupils to give back to the community.

Through her contacts with the African Scholarship Fund, Drude has helped secure a number of bursaries for pupils and attracts sponsorship for some school and community projects.

Grade 10 pupil Amber Fredericks, 16, called Drude a highly inspirational teacher who pushed them to be the best they could be.

"She has always motivated me and taught me to have confidence in myself . Now I can easily stand in front of people and address them," she said.

Amber recalled how many of her friends were rescued from dagga and harder drugs because of Drude's insistence on rehab.

"Teachers give up on pupils, especially those who fail. They know about the drug problem but don't act. Ms Dru never gives up and always seeks to give pupils a second chance," she said.

Pupil Francwin Stevens, 17, said while he respected Drude's authority as a teacher, he considered her a great friend who always kept her door open.

"She has done a lot for me. I've been through a lot at home. Those things knocked my confidence, but through her friendship, mentoring and counselling I can hold my head high and not let those things define me," he said.

The pupils who belong to the school's I Care Group, started by Drude, decided to acknowledge their teachers for "being such inspiring educators and for doing their best to make school suitable for all learners".

Touched by the show of gratitude, Drude, who joined the school in 2005 from the Northern Cape, said her passion for education and love for her pupils was what made her wake up for work each morning and run to school.

"I won't lie and say I grew up barefoot on some plaas. I grew up comfortably in a house with a jacuzzi. If I walked barefoot on the farm, it was out of choice. But I was fortunate," she said.

"I was in a school with no fancy resources and I made it.

"If you don't work with a child's brain in all aspects, there will be a problem."

"These kids have to contend with so many social ills. I try to fight those personally.

"They need leaders – at home, at school and in the community. They still need shoulders to cry on. Sometimes we don't realise how many lack that." - Zandile Mbabela