CAPE TOWN - Educators will continue to be honoured today for their outstanding work and commitment under challenging circumstances, including Covid-19, at the annual National Teaching Awards (NTA).
President Cyril Ramaphosa is expected to address the 21st edition of the awards, which will be hosted by the Department of Basic Education in Gauteng.
The event comes as World Teachers’ Day was celebrated on Tuesday under the theme “Teachers at the Heart of Education Recovery”, which recognised teachers' tireless efforts to keep teaching despite hardships like Covid-19 pandemic.
Chadley Davids, who wears many hats including being an assistant grade head and safety officer at Protea Heights Academy in Brackenfell, is one of the celebrated staff.
Not only did he develop Covid-19 information resources at the school, he went further to use this programme to assist pupils with emotional and mental support.
He won the S/Hero Award in the province, and is expected to be up against the other provincial winners for the national accolade on Wednesday.
“It is really amazing that educators are recognised for the extra miles they go because for us what we do is more than a job. When Covid-19 hit it was important that teachers get the proper training and support they need because of the pressures. It’s also important that every pupil is looked after. While I’m excited to be among the teachers going to the nationals, I am very nervous.”
Education MEC Debbie Schäfer said the Western Cape Education Department (WCED) had launched a campaign with the hashtag #ThankATeacher, to encourage the public to thank a specific teacher who had had an impact on their lives.
“Throughout the month of October, the WCED will be acknowledging all our teachers for making an ever-lasting impact on the lives of our pupils, both past and present. The teaching profession needs to be acknowledged for the important role it plays in the development and growth of any society.”
SA Democratic Teachers Union general secretary Mugwena Maluleke said they were calling for increased investment in the well-being, training, professional development and working conditions of teachers to recover learning losses and to adapt to new ways of teaching and learning that took the pandemic into account.
“We need education for our economy to recover. For South Africa to be more productive, we need more educated workers, the government has to invest in human resource development and teachers are crucial in producing that educated and skilled workforce.”
Maluleke said that quality education for all was the only sustainable method of recovery, in which teachers were at the centre.
Federation of Unions of SA general secretary Riefdah Ajam said the Economic Reconstruction and Recovery Plan could only yield results if investing in teachers was prioritised, to reignite the love of learning in future generations.
Khalid Sayed, the ANC’s provincial spokesperson on education, called for an increase in the budget for psychosocial services.
“Our demand is that every school must have a social worker so that teachers and pupils can have somebody to talk to during trying times. We also want safety measures to be improved in schools, particularly around safety protocols.”
Cape Times