1. The National Teaching Awards recognise excellence and high levels of professionalism, and provide the education fraternity with the opportunity to celebrate the achievements of outstanding teachers. Furthermore, it highlights the exceptional work done by teachers in general. The Western Cape Education Department (WCED) is, therefore, proud to host and organise the provincial awards, which lead to the National Teaching Awards.
2. The National Teaching Awards will celebrate its tenth year of implementation.
3. The different award categories are as follows:
  • Excellence in Primary School Teaching
  • Excellence in Secondary School Teaching
  • Excellence in Primary School Leadership
  • Excellence in Secondary School Leadership
  • Excellence in Grade R Teaching
  • Excellence in Inclusive Education and Special Needs Teaching
  • Excellence in Adult Basic Education and Training (ABET)
    (Levels 1 - 4 In the GET Band only)
  • Lifetime Achievement Award
4. Provincial winners will each receive a laptop computer, compliments of the Western Cape Education Department.
5. There will also be monetary awards for the schools at which the cluster winners, provincial winners and national winners teach.
6. Information guides and nomination forms are being distributed to all WCED institutions, as well as to ABET and registered Grade R Sites. All teachers are invited to participate in this process by submitting nominations (criteria and format contained in information guides) to their principals or centre managers, who will then send the completed nomination forms to their respective education districts for the attention of the district co-ordinators.

Should you require further information, please contact one of the following district co-ordinators:

Eden & Central Karoo:Dr Fernholdt Galant 028 713 2928
Cape Winelands:Mr Joaniel PieterseMr Joaniel Pieterse
Overberg:Mr Japie Bailey028 212 3634
083 707 2197
West Coast:Mr JA Mouton022 4822737
083 289 8437
Metropole South:Ms Karen Dudley
Mr Dryfus Jonas
021 370 2000
082 691 6768
Metropole East:Ms Desiree Watson
Ms Dianne Naidoo
021 900 7195
072 212 655
Metropole North:Mr Trevor Adams
Ms Suzette de Villiers
021 938 3016
021 938 3013
Metropole Central:Mr Alton Koenze021 659 4428/9

7. Your attention is drawn to the following extracts from the nomination guide:

" The principal/centre manager of nomination team must organise a nomination meeting that would include the School Governing Body (SGB)/Centre Governing Body (CGB) to discuss the nomination process."

"The staff and the SGB/CGB members of the school/centre must study the criteria requirements of each category and draw up attributes or qualities that would match their nominees with particular given criteria."

"Once suitable teachers/teams have been nominated, their names must be filled in on the Nomination Forms provided."

"District Officials may also nominate in consultation with the school/centre community."

8. A maximum of five (5) educators may form a team per category.
9. Principals and centre managers are compelled to hold the nomination meeting by no later than 28 May 2009. Minutes of the meeting must be kept and submitted to the IMG Adviser, for the attention of the relevant district co-ordinator.
10. Principals and centre managers must also complete and submit the attached Annexure A by no later than 29 May 2009, to the IMG Adviser, for the attention of the relevant district co-ordinator.
11. The prize money received by schools or centres must be used for staff development aimed at improving the quality of teaching.
12. The closing date for all nomination forms to be submitted to the district co-ordinators is 19 June 2009.
13. The nomination form is also available on the Thutong Portal at http://www.thutong.org.za and the Department of Education website at http://www.education.gov.za.
14. Kindly bring the contents of this minute to the attention of all members of your teaching staff.


SIGNED: ED KIRSTEN
HEAD: EDUCATION
DATE: 2009:03:30

Annexure A  (size: 17 KB)