GDE shines at Batho Pele Excellence Awards

The Head of the Gauteng Department of Education Mr Boy Ngobeni has been recognised as the best Head of Department (HOD) in the country.

Ngobeni received this award at the National Batho Pele Excellence Awards on Saturday (15 November 2014).

The National Batho Pele Excellence are held annually by the Department of Public Service and Administration to acknowledge and reward excellence in the public service and make sure it matures to greater heights

Ngobeni was awarded the best Head of Department for demonstrating exceptional leadership skills/expertise with a proven track record of leadership and successfully achieving the overall strategic goals of the department.

In 2007, Ngobeni was also acknowledged for his contribution to e-government when he won the Premier’s Award for Service Excellence for the innovation of a tool that allows citizens to apply for jobs via cellphone technology

Boy Ngobeni

He joined the Gauteng Department of Education as Acting Deputy Director General (DDG) for Corporate Services, while simultaneously heading the Gauteng City Region Academy, an agency responsible for skills development within the Gauteng Provincial Government. 

He was appointed as the Head of the Department in 2010.  Since his appointment the department has seen successive improvements in the matric results and the improvement in literacy and numeracy as per the indication of the ANA tests.

Mr Ngobeni also presided over the implementation of the Gauteng Primary Literacy and Mathematics Strategy, which focused on literacy levels at primary schools.  This strategy saw the literacy gap between resourced schools and underperforming schools narrow significantly

In congratulating Ngobeni, the Gauteng MEC for Education  Panyaza Lesufi said that it is Mr Ngobeni’s distinctive leadership qualities and tireless energy that earned him the award.  “We are indeed privileged as a province and as the department to have Ngobeni as the HOD.  His leadership skills are reflected in the department’ many successful stories” said Lesufi.