The Western Cape Education Department has lost yet another bright mind.
Trevor Francke, who was the department’s e-learning advisor, passed away on Monday.
The department declined to confirm his cause of death.
Francke, from the Metro South Education District, is well-known for his passion to bring equal opportunities to all and empower digital transformation within the Western Cape.
Granville Stander, the District Director for the Metro South Education District, says Francke was highly respected for his expertise in e-learning by all in the district.
“He was recently asked to lead a District Innovation Team tasked to develop and implement the e-learning and digital literacy advancement strategy for the district, a task he took up with great excitement and passion.
“He was a gentle soul who made a lasting impression on all who knew him. His passing came as a huge shock to all in the education fraternity. We will surely miss him.”
Francke assisted many schools around the province with their computer rooms.
He wanted every learner to have access to the digital world from as early as primary school as he believed that the world is moving to the digital age and no learner must be left behind.
On Facebook, his friend Siegfried Jegels, who went to school with Francke, said the news of his death came as a big shock: “So tragic to hear this. My schoolmate right through high school.
“We played soccer, rugby, volleyball, did mini-worlds, athletics, gymnastics and drama and visited the principal office on one of those naughty schoolboy pranks.
“A rare breed of being genuine, sincere, decent, committed and showing deep integrity. The world is a lot poorer because of you, and heaven is definitely richer.”