Local educators rewarded at the 22nd National Teaching Awards

After World Teacher’s Day was celebrated globally on October 5, the Gauteng Department of Education held its 22nd National Teaching Awards (NTA) at the Garden Venue in North Riding on October 19.

The welcome address by the Head of Department (HOD) of Education in Gauteng Edward Mosuwe acknowledged how every other day educators were teaching therefore it was important to bring everyone who represented the best in their education system to be acknowledged for the role they played. Honouring World Teacher’s Day, Mosuwe recited a poem by Kevin William Huff titled Teachers.

“As Gauteng, we will continue to take meaningful action to ensure teachers across all our schools have the tools they need and can work in a safe environment; we will work with all education stakeholders to ensure every classroom has a qualified, motivated, and well-supported teacher who can unleash children’s learning potential including in crisis content,” said Gauteng MEC of Education Matome Chiloane in his keynote address.

Chiloane said he was happy to be hosting the nominees for the NTA in the presence of all their key stakeholders as the occasion honoured the achievements of some of their best, innovative, resilient, committed, and dedicated teachers in the province of Gauteng.

“The NTA is a step in the right direction towards recognition of and as well as restoring the status of teachers. The NTA honours the many teachers that demonstrate leadership and make a difference in the lives of their learners. Through these awards, we recognise and honour the crucial role teachers play in building better communities. These awards are given to exceptional primary and secondary teachers to recognize the outstanding teachers that have been nominated because they’ve made a real difference in the schooling community.”

Educators who received awards presented by Chiloane were:

• Kim Comodikes from Montrose Primary School, Parkmore – 2nd place for Excellence in Primary School
• Bongiwe Sambo from Noordwyk Secondary School, Midrand – 3rd place for Excellence in Secondary School
• Charmaine Naude from Bryandale Primary School, Bryanston – 3rd place for Excellence in Technology (ICT) – Enhanced Teaching & Learning
• Anna Van Velden, Tracy-Lee Kinnear, and Tracy Dippenaar from Delta Park LSEN School, Blairgowrie – 2nd place for Excellence in Special Needs Teaching
• Dr Johanna Britz, Wilfred Jacobs, and Lize-Mazi Roseel from Delta Park LSEN School, Blairgowrie – 1st place for Excellence in Special Needs Leadership
• Trudie Lingens from Rand Park High School, Randpark Ridge – 1st place for Excellence in Teaching Mathematics (FET)
• Selaelo Morukhuladi from Noordwyk Secondary School, Midrand – 2nd place for Excellence in Teaching Physical Sciences (FET)
• Lisha Hira from Bramley Primary School, Bramley – 3rd place for Excellence in Teaching Natural Sciences (GET)
• Muliga Naidoo from Norwood Primary School, Norwood – 3rd place for Kadar Asmal Lifetime Achievement