South Africans pay tribute to their “favourite teacher”, William Smith, who has died aged 85.
The beloved math and science teacher and innovator died Wednesday morning after a short battle with cancer, his family said.
The renowned teacher presented an educational programme on the state broadcaster SABC for many years, which is said to have touched the hearts of many South Africans.
He received many awards throughout his lifetime for his innovations in education, including a national award in 2019, presented by President Cyril Ramaphosa, for his contribution to ‘teaching and demystifying mathematics and science’.
President Ramaphosa described the “favourite teacher” as “an educational and cultural icon for our nation”.
“William Smith’s passion for his curriculum and for the success of the people he taught in classrooms, at graduation camps and on TV helped millions of South African youth even before our transition to democracy and the dawn of a new system of equal education,” he said.
He is credited with making maths and science education available to millions of children for free through the groundbreaking 1990s TV programme Learning Channel, which he convinced SABC to air.
The Presidency describes the programme as “essentially an open South African school where science, mathematics, biology and English are taught”.
It gave disadvantaged students access to free extra lessons, reportedly the only high-quality education they received at the time.
Some people have taken to social media to praise Mr. Smith as the reason they were successful in the subjects.
“William Smith helped me get through high school with math and science. What a legend and national treasure,” said Wendy Verwey Bekker about X.
During his lifetime he also won the “Teacher of the Year” award and was voted one of the top three presenters on South African television for his education programme in 1998. In 2004 he was voted 86th in the Top 100 Great South Africans.
After his retirement he moved with his family to Australia, where he died.
He was surrounded by his family in his final moments, his daughter Jessica Smith told South African news outlet News24.
She said the family was grieving him but also celebrating his legacy, adding that it was inspiring to see other people celebrating him.
He is survived by his wife Jenny, his three daughters and five grandchildren.
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