Statement by Ron Swartz, Western Cape Head of Education

Western Cape teachers have excelled in the 2003 National Teaching Awards, which were announced in Pretoria on November 6.

The goal of this annual event is to honour the role that our multitudes of fine teachers play, and to acknowledge excellence in teaching, by giving recognition to educators who have achieved the highest standards of professionalism and teaching practice. It is also designed to give South Africans the opportunity of publicly thanking all our excellent teachers for their sterling work.

The Western Cape Education Department has great pleasure in offering warm congratulations to the three Western Cape finalists who have just won national honours. They are:

• Mr Kyrle Vraagom, principal of Excelsior High School, Belhar (first place in Excellence in Secondary-School Leadership)
• Ms Joaline Lackay, of Ligstraal Special School, Paarl (runner-up in the Lifetime Achievement Award category)
• Ms Elizabeth (Bettie) Roelofse, of De La Bat School for the Deaf, Worcester (second place in Early Childhood Development)

Well done, all! We are very proud of these teachers, as we are of our teaching profession in general.

This is a fitting occasion on which to repeat our congratulations to all of our provincial finalists who took part in the national competition after a process of regional competitions throughout the Western Cape. In addition to the three award-winners already mentioned, they are:

• Excellence in Leadership at the Primary Level: Mr Johann Burger of Bredasdorp Primary School

• Excellence in Primary School Teaching: Ms Rose Wagenstroom of Winsley Primary School, Bellville

• Excellence in Secondary School Teaching: Ms Saretta Otto of Heidelberg High School

• Excellence in Special Needs Teaching: Ms Roslyn Vaughan of Panorama Primary School, Vredenburg.