Four teachers out of 14 from the Free State who were finalists for this year’s National Teaching Awards (NTAs), made the province proud after they scooped coveted awards at the ceremony held in Pretoria yesterday, 5 October. This was a fitting recognition tying with World Teachers Day, observed globally on 5 October to honour teachers for their role and upholding this noble profession.
Two were crowned the overall winners and the other pair won third place prizes in their respective categories.
The recipients of the first place prizes are Chezel Classens, overall winner in Grade R Teaching category, and Johanne Petro Marais, winner of the Excellence in Teaching Mathematics Teaching GET category.
The third place prize winners are Matlakala Chaka, Excellence in Primary School Leadership, and Fezeka Dube, Excellence in Special Needs Teaching. The overall winners won a certificate of gold and the other bronze.
The categories they enter are the following: 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 Special Needs Teaching; Excellence in ICT – Enhanced Teaching; and Lifetime Achievement.
The Free State MEC of Education, Makalo Mohale, has congratulated the award recipients on their achievement in scooping the prestigious accolades.
“We acknowledge their extraordinary efforts, which have been achieved often under very difficult conditions and in service to our children, many of whom come from underprivileged families and economically depressed communities,” said Mohale.
