The Department of Basic Education is calling on all teachers in the sector to participate in the National Teaching Awards happening later this year.

The NTA were established in the year 2000 to recognize celebrate and acknowledge the strides made by teachers to ensure that learners are supported in order to progress from grade to grade. The NTA now enters its twenty-first (21 st year of implementation)

This edition will be conducted in a period where the country is confronted with a major pandemic of Covid 19, which has paral yzed the schooling system in many different ways; and the DBE intends to conduct the 21 st edition’s activities in adherence to the protocols as prescribed by the President of the Republic of South Africa.

The competition is open to all teachers in the public schooling sector registered in terms of the South African Schools Act. In recent years the prizes have ranged from cash prizes to cars that are sponsored by the partners of the Department who have supported the initiative.

The NTAs are aimed at motivating teachers to continue the selfless endeavors they make for the benefit of the country.

The work of teachers have now been further complicated by the emergence of the coronavirus which has disrupted the schooling sector in a manner never seen before.

The Department has sought to improve the Teacher Appreciation and Support Programme by introducing other elements that are geared toward elevating the contribution of teachers in the education sector.

As a result of the extraordinary efforts made by teachers under extreme conditions, the Department has therefore introduced new awards to pay homage to individuals who have demonstrated commitment, dedication, and sacrifice during crisis situations.

To this end new categories have been added and they are; National Best Teacher Awards S/Hero Award and the Learner Award. Other categories are Lifetime Achievement Award National Learner Award Excellence in Maths teaching, Grade R teaching, Special Needs, Primary school teaching, Secondary School Teaching etc.

The full list is available here https://www.education.gov.za/Informationfor/Teachers/NationalTeachingAwa…

The 21 st edition is benchmarked against the worldwide teacher awards/prizes’ strategies adopted from the African Union Teacher Prize Commonwealth Education Awards and the Global Teacher Prize.

For this edition, the DBE wants to reach a broader audience of teachers and took a decision to adopt the characteristics of the Global Teacher Prize. As a result, this edition has been tailored differently and the additional models has been infused.

The 21 st edition of the NTA process will be conducted in the following recommended manner:

The process of nominating teachers will start at school level and then proceed to the districts. The same process will be repeated in the provinces until winners reach the final phase of the selection of winners by a national adjudication panel; and

The final stage will be the celebration of teachers in a national ceremony which will be hosted by the Minister of Basic Education.

The entries close on 31 July 2021.

All interested teachers are required to enter by obtaining a form via the Department website on www.education.gov.za.

Source: Government of South Africa