The Department of Basic Education wishes to salute all schools and teachers who have entered the National Teaching Awards (NTA). The NTA Scheme was conceptualised and launched in 2000 and now enters its 24th year of implementation. Through extensive consultation, the scheme has been refined, sharpened, as well as broadened in terms of its frame and categories. 

 

The NTA scheme 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 concept of appreciating and recognising teachers has gained world-wide prominence and as a result South African teachers are encouraged to participate and shine on the global stage.  

 

Some of the awards that are open to the teachers are:

• The African Union (AU) Teachers’ Award.
• The Global Teacher Prize; and
• The Commonwealth Education Award.

 

 

The objectives of the Ministry of Basic Education through the National Teaching Awards are to:

 

• To focus public attention on the positive aspects of Basic Education, thereby raising the public image of the teaching profession;
• Recognising and promoting excellence in teaching performance;
• Honouring dedicated creative and effective teachers and schools;
• Encouraging best practice in schools;
• Improving the wellbeing of learners; highlight the initiatives that remove barriers and build resilience especially for the disadvantaged groups (Commonwealth Teachers Award);
• Creating an environment that will encourage and sustain investments in education and learning (Commonwealth Teachers Award);
• Working towards achievement of Sustainable Development Goal (SDG 4) (Commonwealth Teachers Award);
• Helping learners to achieve their long term career goals by organising engagement with relevant agencies and information; (African Union Teachers’ Award);
• Providing the South African teachers with an opportunity to compete with the best teachers in Africa and globally through the African Union (AU) Teachers’ Award, the
• Commonwealth Teachers’ Award, and the Global Teacher Prize (GTP); and
• Affording South Africans, the opportunity to publicly say thank you to all outstanding teams or individual teachers in schools.

There are fifteen categories for this edition, in each category, teachers are expected to define, elaborate, and speak to the effects/impact and provide evidence of any action mentioned in the categories as listed below:

• Excellence in Grade R Teaching
• Excellence in Primary School Teaching
• Excellence in Primary School Leadership
• Excellence in Secondary School Teaching
• Excellence in Secondary School Leadership
• Excellence in Special Needs Teaching
• Excellence in Special Needs Leadership
• Excellence in Teaching Life Skills
• Excellence in Teaching Mathematics (GET)
• Excellence in Teaching Mathematics (FET)
• Excellence in Teaching Natural Sciences
• Excellence in Teaching Physical Sciences
• Excellence in Technology – Enhanced, Teaching and Learning
• Kader Asmal Lifetime Achievement Award
• National Best Teacher Award

 

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.