In the heart of Ocean View, one teacher's unwavering determination is transforming the lives of young learners.
Zainap Slarmie, a Grade R teacher at Jupiter Street Primary School, teaches from a wheelchair, and has become an inspiring symbol of resilience and determination.
The 27-year-old wife and mom teaches her young pupils about resilience, empathy, and the power of overcoming challenges.
At 10am, during break time, Miss Slarmie opens up about her journey to the Daily Voice. In the background, children can be heard laughing and chatting.
She says: “I chose education because I wanted to show children that no matter what challenges they face, they are not less able.
“I wanted them to know it's OK to be different. It doesn't make you any less valuable, and it certainly doesn’t stop you from achieving your dreams.”
Her path to becoming a teacher was anything but easy.
As a young girl she was diagnosed with selective mutism and by the age of 13, she was in an accident that left her with a spinal cord injury that resulted in permanent paralysis.
Bullied as a laaitie for being “different”, he onnie explains: “I had to fight through a lot of adversity.
“One person that kept me going was my mom. She would never let me feel any different and when the time came, she would go with me to every university and college.”
Slarmie graduated from Unisa in 2022 as a Foundation Phase Teacher and, in 2023 began her honours studies in education.
She currently teaches a girl who is in a wheelchair in her class and says it's one of the most rewarding experiences.
Juffrou Slarmie adds: “Just seeing how the kids play with her and include her makes my heart feel so warm.
“Even the way they see me, it's not like they see me as a person in a wheelchair, they see me as a teacher, and that is what I want must happen all over.
“I want that inclusivity, and I want that child or student studying to know that your disability does not define you. Your dreams do."
Celeste Abrahams, the palie of Jupiter Street Primary, praised Slarmie for embodying the spirit of resilience and inclusivity that their school aspires to cultivate.
Abrahams says: “Her role as a teacher in a wheelchair sends a powerful message to our learners, colleagues, and the entire community: that we are not defined or limited by our physical bodies
“Her learners see in her a role model who encourages them to embrace their unique qualities and to see themselves as capable, no matter the challenges they may face.”
tracy-lynn.ruiters@inl.co.za