Happy Valley Daycare in Strandfontein. Pictured is Mrs Davids with some pupils in her class. Picture: Tracey Adams/African News Agency (ANA)
The 2022 National Teaching Awards (NTA) nominations are currently open and will close on July 26, so get your nominations in.
This year marks the 22nd edition of the NTA.
The National Teaching Awards is one of the ways in which the Department of Basic Education (DBE) acknowledges the extraordinary efforts made by excellent teachers, often in very difficult conditions.
"Such teachers provide for better futures for learners, because the lack of quality education is a major factor behind many social, political, economic and health challenges faced by the world today; as well as contributing to poverty, prejudice and conflict," the DBE said.
The DBE stated that the concept of appreciating and recognising teachers has gained worldwide prominence and that led to South African teachers participating and shining on the global stage.
Quoted from the NTA nomination guideline, some of the awards that are open to the teachers are:
1. The African Union (AU) Teachers’ Award
2. The Global Teacher Prize (GTP) of the Varkey Foundation
3. The Commonwealth Education Award.
Furthermore, the DBE added three new categories which have been integrated into the 22nd National Teaching Awards.
The additional categories introduced include the National Best Teacher Award, the S/HERO Award and the National Learner Award.
According to the NTA, the list of categories are as follows:
1. National Best Teacher Award: This award will honour the best teachers/principal who will represent South Africa in the Global Teacher Award.
The teacher will embody the skills which focuses more on transforming the lives of learners and the community.
Those skills will include the introduction of digital learning tools, ensuring that all children have access to quality education, and initiated environmental and other projects.
2. S/Hero Awards: The DBE says it has been touched by the selfless acts of those teaching during the pandemic including the integration of the Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR) skills.
Despite all the unprecedented challenges, there have been outstanding teachers and principals who compromised their health and assisted learners who could not access virtual learning.
3. National Learner Award: The award will be a sister award to the National Teacher Award as it intends to celebrate and compliment a full-time learner (GET/FET) who is involved in a community development project.
4. Kader Asmal Lifetime Achievement Award
5. Excellence in Grade R Teaching
6. Excellence in Primary School Teaching
7. Excellence in Primary School Leadership
8. Excellence in Secondary School Teaching
9. Excellence in Secondary School Leadership
10. Excellence in Special Needs Teaching
11. Excellence in Special Needs Leadership - (NEW)
12. Excellence in Teaching Mathematics (GET)
13. Excellence in Teaching Mathematics (FET)
14. Excellence in Teaching Natural Sciences
15. Excellence in Teaching Physical Sciences
16. Excellence in Technology – Enhanced, Teaching and Learning
The nomination/selection process
The nomination process of teachers starts at schools where the schools’ nomination teams select teachers for the various categories.
The names of the selected teachers are forwarded to the districts that select district winners, through a process of adjudication.
The final phase is the selection of national winners by a national adjudication panel.
After the national winners are selected, a national ceremony which is hosted by the Minister of Basic Education and addressed by the President of the Republic of South Africa where the national winners are announced.
The 22nd annual Provincial Teacher Awards ceremony is expected to take place on September 9, 2022 with the the national ceremony scheduled for October 19, 2022.
kamogelo.moichela@inl.co.za
IOL EDUCATION