The annual National Teaching Awards (NTAs), conceptualised and launched in 2000, will be celebrating a quarter of a century of teacher excellence as it enters its 25th year of implementation. Entries are open and nominations will close on 16 May 2025.
Minister Siviwe Gwarube invited nominations when she announced the NTA competition dates last week, saying: “Every year the DBE acknowledges the extraordinary efforts made by our educators, sometimes under very difficult circumstances. We have amazing teachers who truly embody the spirit of service excellence in our schools. I invite South Africans to nominate dedicated teachers within their communities as we want to make sure that we recognise those teachers who are the backbone of the education system, I look forward to congratulating the winners during the award ceremony later this year”.
Director for Continuing Professional Teacher Development (CPTD), Ms Vonani Mathonsi, said that the NTA scheme has been refined and broadened in terms of its framework and has been benchmarked according to the international teacher prizes’ criteria. Through the NTA, South African teachers participate and compete with other teachers in the continental and global teacher awards, namely, the African Union (AU) Teacher Prize, the Commonwealth Education Awards (CEA) and the Global Teacher Prize (GTP), which is presented annually to an exceptional teacher who has made an outstanding contribution to their profession. These teachers embody the skills which focus more on transforming the lives of learners and the community. She added that the national adjudication process will commence on 9 September and the national award ceremony is anticipated for 9 October, a few days after the global celebration of World Teachers’ Day on 5 October 2025.
The NTAs are part of the annual Teacher Appreciation and Support Programme (TASP) to focus public attention on the positive aspects of Basic Education, thereby raising the public image of the teaching profession; recognising and promoting excellence in teaching performance; and honouring dedicated, creative and effective teachers. The 2025 NTAs will award teaching excellence in 15 categories: Excellence in Grade R Teaching; Excellence in Primary School Teaching; Excellence in Primary School Leadership; Excellence in Secondary School Teaching; Excellence in Secondary School Leadership; Excellence in Special Needs Teaching; Excellence in Special Needs Leadership; Excellence in Teaching Mathematics (GET); Excellence in Teaching Mathematics (FET); Excellence in Teaching Natural Sciences; Excellence in Teaching Physical Sciences; Excellence in Technology – Enhanced, Teaching and Learning; Excellence in Teaching Life Skills (Gr 1-6); the Kader Asmal Lifetime Achievement Award; and the National Best Teacher Award.
Click on the below link for additional information:
https://www.education.gov.za/Informationfor/Teachers/NationalTeachingAwards.aspx