Education excellence lauded in Northern Cape | News24

Abraham Vosloo, MEC of the Northern Cape Department of Education.

Teaching awards were recently presented in the Northern Cape, with the provincial winners awaiting the national teaching awards on 5 October.

During this event held in Kimberley during August, excellence in teaching performance in the province was recognised and promoted.

Also, dedicated, creative and effective teachers were honoured.

The provincial winners in the different categories are:

• Gr. R teaching: Melissa du Plessis (Douglas Combined School);
• primary school teaching: Ontiretse Mokae (Ditshipeng Intermediate School);
• primary school leadership: Catharina van Zyl (Calvinia Primary School);
• secondary school teaching: Jayden Prinsloo (Floors High School);
• secondary school leadership: Willem Eiman (Nielersdrift Intermediate School);
• special needs teaching: Wilma Linde (Elizabeth Conradie School);
• special needs leadership: Dirk Neels (N.J. Heyns Special School);
• teaching Mathematics (GET): Michelle van Wyk (Rosendal Intermediate School);
• teaching Mathematics (FET): Conchitta Grasveld (Namakwaland High School);
• teaching Natural Sciences: Kedibone Lephalala (Moedi Secondary School);
• teaching Physical Sciences: Kaone Tshepang Letlhogela (Olebogeng Secondary School);
• technology, enhanced teaching and learning: Thabo Gabaatlholwe (Ditshipeng Intermediate School);
• Life Skills: Tshepo Mothobi (Gahohuwe Intermediate School);
• Kader Asmal Lifetime Achievement award: Noël Venter (Andalusia Primary School); and
• best teacher award: Raymond Tieties (Grootdrink Intermediate School).

Venter, who was awarded the Kader Asmal Excellence award, received an award for excellence in primary school leadership in 2009 in the North West, and in 2019 in the Northern Cape. He is in teaching for the past 35 years, of which he is a headmaster for 28 years. 

The Kader Asmal award seeks to recognise educators who, in their work, demonstrate the key values that were a hallmark of Prof. Kader Asmal’s leadership:

being someone who is a demanding educational activist who leads by example;

an educator with a conscience and a feel for social justice;

who takes a stand for an issue (popular or unpopular) on grounds of conscientiousness;

for and educator with intellectual tenacity and rigour; and

who is creative and inspired visible delivery.