Seventy years ago, more than 20,000 South African women marched to the Union Buildings, united by courage, conviction and hope for a better future.
Their actions on 9 August 1956 became a defining moment in our history. They showed what can happen when women stand together, use their voices and reject the limits placed on their lives.
That legacy continues in the women shaping South Africa today, including the educators and mentors who use their knowledge to create opportunities for others.
Most people can remember a woman who shaped their education: a teacher, tutor or mentor who took the time to listen, offered encouragement at the right moment or helped them recognise an ability they had not yet seen in themselves.
These women do more than teach. They notice when a learner is losing confidence, create space for questions and help young people believe that progress is possible.
At Tutor Doctor South Africa, approximately 90 per cent of tutors are women. Together, they support learners with their schoolwork while helping them develop the skills, habits and confidence needed to take ownership of their learning.
Their work may begin with a difficult subject, an upcoming test or a worrying report. Yet the real obstacle is not always the content itself.
A learner may understand the work but struggle to organise their time. They may have fallen behind and feel embarrassed to ask for help. They may have started believing they are simply not good at mathematics, science or languages.
The right tutor can help change that thinking.
Tutor Doctor’s approach centres on academic coaching rather than solely on homework assistance. Tutors strengthen subject knowledge while helping learners develop planning, organisation, time management, focus and accountability.
“A tutor doesn’t just teach content,” says Clive Robinson, Managing Director of Tutor Doctor South Africa. “They guide learners towards greater independence, helping them develop the confidence, structure and skills needed to take increasing ownership of their own learning.”
Building independence requires patience, consistency and an understanding of how each learner responds to difficulty.
Tutor Doctor considers personality, curriculum, learning style and academic needs when matching tutors with learners. This personalised approach is central to delivering best-in-class tutoring. The goal is not simply to find someone who understands the subject, but to create a trusted relationship in which the learner feels supported, appropriately challenged and able to progress.
It would be unfair to suggest that all women teach in the same way, or that empathy belongs to women alone. However, many female tutors bring together academic expertise, emotional awareness and the ability to recognise what a learner needs in that moment.
A skilled academic coach does not remove every obstacle from a learner’s path. She helps them develop the confidence and ability to work through difficulties independently.
The impact may appear in improved marks, but also in subtle shifts. A learner begins asking more questions, approaches a difficult task without giving up, prepares for a test with greater structure or completes work without constant reminders.
These moments may seem small, but together they can transform how a learner sees themselves.
This Women’s Month, Tutor Doctor celebrates the inspirational women who listen, encourage, guide and challenge. Their influence reaches far beyond a tutoring session, helping learners move beyond perceived limitations while building confidence, resilience, independence and a stronger belief in what they can achieve.
Their work may begin with a single learner and a single subject. But when a woman helps a young person recognise their ability, she does more than support their education.
She helps shape what comes next.
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Author: Belinda Cave from Brandfundi on behalf of Clive Robinson.
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