The Internet Service Providers’ Association of South Africa (ISPA) has named eight finalists in its hunt for the 2011 ISPA Super Teacher of the Year, an initiative that aims to identify and reward teachers that are providing high-quality computer skills training.
These candidates will attend an awards ceremony held at iWeek, South Africa`s premier Internet industry event, on Thursday, 22 September where the Super Teacher of the Year will be announced.
In recognition of the 10th anniversary of the teacher training initiative, ISPA will also be recognising the 2011 Trainer of the Year, as well as three exemplary ICT Champions in South African schools.
The Super Teacher of the Year competition forms part of ISPA`s “Train the Teacher”” project.The winners stand to earn prizes such as laptop computers, Blackberry smartphones and all-expenses paid attendance at key IT conferences, boosting both their opportunities for personal advancement and their ability to offer training to their learners.
Recognising the growing need for computer skills training and the importance of computer-literate teachers, ISPA established Train the Teacher in December 2001. To date, ISPA has successfully trained some 2238 educators at more than 200 under-resourced and rural schools nationwide.
The annual Super Teacher of the Year Award invited educators to compete with projects through which they can promote and develop computer skills in their own schools and communities.
Twenty-six projects were registered for the competition in the first phase of the awards. Each project was assessed according to the teachers’ use of newly-acquired computer skills in their own teaching practice as well as their use of their skills for the benefit of their colleagues, learners or wider community.
The finalists are ThembiMathobela, George Mokgehle, Nthole Adelaide Madiba, and Alpheus Mogashoa, all from Toronto Primary in Limpopo: PhutiRagophala of Pula-Madibogo Primary in Limpopo: Setaole J Maoto of Mountainview Senior Secondary School in Limpopo: Judi Le Roux of Coffee Bay Christian Comprehensive School in Eastern Cape: and MJ Poopedi of Thokgwaneng Primary School in Limpopo.
Said Fiona Wallace, Chairperson of ISPA’s Teacher Training Working Group: “”Congratulations to these finalists, who are all applying their ICT skills training in innovative ways that are bringing real benefits to their communities. It is gratifying for us to see through the awards how Train the Teacher is helping teachers to develop their personal and organisational skills, knowledge and abilities. “”
ISPA’s Teacher Training programme this year has received support from a growing list of sponsors including Uniforum SA, MTN Business, Internet Solutions, Adept Internet, eNetworks, MWEB, Neotel, Avuxeni Computer Academy, Future Foundation and Switch Telecom.
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