The Eastern Cape Department of Education MEC, Fundile Gade addressed all the National Teacher Award winners at the Mandla Makapula Education Institute in East London on 02 September 2021.

The National Teachers Awards (NTA) was conceptualized and launched in 2000 and now enters its twenty first year of implementation.  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.

Benson Vanqa, Principal of Sterkspruit Community School, winner of the category “Excellence in Primary School Leadership”, was nominated by his School Management Team (SMT) together with the School Governing Body (SGB) for the National Teachers Awards, had this to say about their dedicated Principal, “he is an innovative, creative leader who likes to research new ideas with his colleagues. 

He is appreciative and acknowledges other people’s idea’s contributions.  He always gives positive and critical feedback to all stakeholders.”

There are 14 categories by which principals and teachers were awarded on; Excellence in Grade R Teaching, Excellence in Primary School Teaching, Excellence in Secondary School Teaching, Excellence in Teaching Mathematics (FET), Excellence in Teaching Physical Sciences, Excellence in ICT, Excellence in Special Needs Teaching, Excellence in Primary School Leadership, Life Time Achievement Award, National Best Teacher Award, S/Hero Award, Kader Asmal Excellence Award and National Best Learner.

Vanqa expressed that he wished every year all schools could participate in the NTA, as it was a form of introspection for all teachers and principals and what they did at schools.  He further went on to say, “It is a great achievement for me to be a winner, it’s no child’s play to compete at Provincial level.”

MEC Fundile Gade addressed all the winners with wise words and ended off by saying, “We need to thank God for our scars, because that means that we were there when it mattered the most.”

The National Teachers Awards will continue in Gauteng later this month, where all winners will go and represent our province.  Good luck to all the participants that will represent the Eastern Cape.