By Nikashni Naidoo
Seasoned educator Prashan Singh, outgoing principal of the AYS Memorial Primary School in Montford, may be history now, but he has set sights high on enjoying his well-deserved retirement, spending leisure with his family after a stint of 42 years from the chalkboard to the headmaster’s offices.
He began his illustrious career in 1980 at Drakensberg Secondary in Accounting and Mathematics; and then came to Earlington Secondary School, Belverton Secondary and Lenarea Secondary. He was promoted to Head of Department at Ohlange High School in Inanda, where he has gained some of his fondest memories, including meeting and interacting with the iconic Nelson Mandela in the first democratic election where the president-in-waiting cast his historic vote.
Five years later, Singh was promoted as Deputy Principal at Rose Heights Primary School in Arena Park. At the height of his career in 2006, he was appointed as the Principal of AYS Memorial Primary School, where his memorable remaining years ended after 16 years at the school within the KZN DOE’s Umlazi District.
Singh has been influential in the transformation of the school ethos and has taken AYS Memorial Primary School to new heights by strengthening the learner and teacher roll and been at the forefront of mentoring, developing and uniting his staff.
The school has also seen many revamps and alterations since Singh assumed duty which include negotiating a R5 million renovation of the school plant funded by the Department of Public works, installation of security gates at the school
