Life Sciences teacher at Makhumbuza High School in Umlazi Mr Samkelo Mhlophe went viral on social media after he shared a clip of himself teaching the development of a human embryo to his Grade 12 class. The video has over 1.5 million views on Tik Tok.

In the three-part video, learners can be heard singing along enthusiastically to the steps as Mhlophe explains this complicated human reproductive process.

He said he never expected his video to go viral. ‘Information is everywhere, but it is our duty as educators to simplify it to our learners and that’s where I come in.’

Mhlophe, who holds a Bachelor of Education from UKZN, decided to use innovative teaching methods (edutainment) as a way to get learners excited about the subject matter and to help them easily remember lessons.

‘I identify an area my learners are struggling the most with, find a recent trending song, and use it in my lessons so that learners enjoy learning and develop a love for education. Sometimes I create short pneumonics and that amazes them,’ explained Mhlophe. He stated that the average pass mark in his classes is 85%.

‘For me, UKZN was more than getting a degree. It was a journey of self-discovery. I found myself through education. The lecturers were incredible and they became my mentors. The support I received from staff was equally amazing,’ said Mhlophe.

Offering advice to aspiring teachers, he said, ‘This journey is fun but it is not easy. We have thousands of educators teaching in the same language. As an individual, you must strive to find that element that sets you apart from other teachers and develop it for the sake of your learners.’

Mhlophe plans to enrol for an Honours in Education at UKZN and is keen to start a winter school camp for learners to study and improve their marks. ‘I would love to teach life sciences on radio and TV. The possibilities are endless.’

Mhlophe’s video can be viewed via https://www.tiktok.com/@sammykaywhite/video/7204744643785854213?_r=1&_t=8aUixc830J3