Pupils at Riebeek College Girls' High School Surprise Teacher with Heartwarming Birthday Celebration

• Learners at Riebeek College Girls' High School in Uitenhage surprised their teacher with a touching birthday celebration, forming a guard of honour and showering her with gifts
• The teacher was overwhelmed with joy and gratitude as her pupils showed appreciation for her dedication and hard work
• The heartwarming moment has captured the attention of Mzansi, with social media users praising the bond between the teacher and her pupils, and highlighting the importance of showing appreciation for educators

A heartwarming moment at Riebeek College Girls' High School in Uitenhage has captured the attention of Mzansi after learners surprised their teacher with a touching birthday celebration.

In a video shared on Facebook by the school under the handle Riebeek College Girls' High School, the teacher can be seen arriving at school in the morning only to be greeted by her pupils, who had lined up to form a guard of honour.

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As she walked through the corridor of smiling learners, one student stepped forward to place a sash over her shoulder with the words "Happy Birthday" written on it.

The thoughtful celebration didn’t end there. The educator was handed a potted plant, chocolates, balloons, and a party bag filled with gifts. Overwhelmed by the gesture, she beamed with joy as she walked forward, clearly moved by the effort her learners had put into making her day special.

Social media users were quick to react to the video that was posted on 11 August 2025, praising the bond between the teacher and her pupils.

The celebration also highlighted the culture of appreciation and unity at Riebeek College Girls' High, where learners often find creative ways to show gratitude to their educators.

At a time when teachers’ contributions are sometimes overlooked, the clip served as a reminder of the vital role they play in shaping the lives of young people. For this teacher, the thoughtful guard of honour and heartfelt gifts made her birthday a day to remember, while for the pupils, it was a chance to give back to someone who clearly means so much to them.

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SA loves the heartwarming teacher and pupil moment

The online community was in awe as they took to the comments section to gush over the teacher and learner's sweet moment.

Jenna Jen Rhode said:

"This is when you know as a teacher how to treat your students and they appreciate you."

Audrey Matsimella added:

"So beautiful, small things in life that count."

Diane Emslie NeeSagar wrote:

"Teachers' birthdays are always a good celebration at school!!"

Fundiswa Asiphe Mdiniso replied:

"This is so beautiful."

Eulandy Masesi Smith stated:

"I bet she is one of the great teachers."

Balungile Mhlongo commented:

"This is so beautiful, keep it up, kids. Love your teachers and vice versa, teachers must do the same, promote love, your pupils will flourish even with their school work."

Watch the video below:

Other SA teachers in the news

• Briefly News recently reported on an Eastern Cape teacher who joined her students in the trending Magumba dance challenge, but the video's unexpected ending had viewers calling her something special.
• School learners went viral after dressing up as their favourite teachers in a Facebook clip, with their detailed mimicry of clothing and mannerisms leaving South Africans in stitches over their creative efforts.
• A principal's heartfelt reaction to a surprise birthday prank from his learners showed the strong community bonds at his school, but followers noticed something touching about his response that made them call him by a special name.

Source: Briefly News