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The Western Cape Education Department (WCED) is proud to join colleagues around the world as we celebrate World Teachers’ Day today, Friday, 5 October 2012.

The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) selected 5 October to celebrate the achievements of teachers and to highlight teachers' concerns and priorities regarding education.

The theme for this year's commemoration is "Take a stand for teachers!" to highlight the importance of teacher training, continuing professional development and the protection for teachers' rights.

The WCED is pleased to mark this day as we celebrate the important contribution that teachers are making to providing quality education in the province. We are particularly proud of the commitment our teachers have shown to training and on-going professional development.

Our teachers have demonstrated their commitment to developing their skills by flocking to our training programmes and by registering for specialised courses.

Over and above the Curriculum And Assessment Policy Statement (CAPS) training and literacy and numeracy training presented by the department, more than 50 formal and intensive courses were on offer at our Cape Teaching and Leadership Institute (CTLI) this year, providing training for over 4 600 educators.

Where the formal CTLI courses are presented during school hours, the WCED pays for a substitute in the classroom to ensure that teaching and learning is not disrupted. No teacher is allowed to participate unless there is a substitute in the classroom.

The department will celebrate excellence when we present the provincial Teacher of the Year Awards on 9 November 2012. Our judges completed regional Teacher of the Year adjudications at the end of September. Clusters of districts held functions to honour regional finalists for the provincial awards.

The WCED will forward the names of the provincial winners to the Department of Basic Education for the National Teaching Awards, which will be presented early next year.

The categories include excellence in primary school teaching, secondary school teaching, primary school leadership, secondary school leadership, Grade R teaching, inclusive education and special needs teaching, and adult education and training, and a lifetime achievement award

To learn more about the Western Cape’s top teachers, visit the WCED’s YouTube channel.