| Africa’s leading private education provider, JSE-listed ADvTECH, has put a national spotlight on what world-class teaching looks like in practice. At a high-profile awards ceremony, the group recently acknowledged some of the country’s standout educators for 2025 at the Stellar Teacher Awards and ADvLEARN Celebration of Excellence.
“The awards showcased how data-driven innovation, personalised learning and focused teacher development are producing measurable academic gains for tens of thousands of students across South Africa and internationally,” says Darren Purdon, Academic Project Manager at ADvTECH. With hundreds of nominations pouring in from across the continent and finalists battling through four rigorous rounds, including video presentations and detailed portfolios judged by an expert panel, the awards highlighted a growing movement inside one of the country’s biggest education players to turn classrooms into engines of discovery, close learning gaps, and set a new benchmark for teaching excellence. |
ADvLEARN’s Celebration of Excellence Awards
This year’s ADvLEARN Awards honoured educators who leveraged data insights to boost engagement, close learning gaps and deliver outstanding academic outcomes, ensuring students experienced highly personalised, purposeful learning. For the first time, ADvTECH International Schools joined the celebration, with teachers attending from Botswana and Kenya.
The ADvLEARN Teacher Award winners were:
- Ibrahim Makonjio – Makini Kisumu City
- Tandee Coppin – Crawford International Lonehill
- Patsy Fourie – Trinityhouse Glenvista
- Laurentia van Muylwyk – Crawford International Ruimsig
- Siboniso Masvisvi – Gaborone International School
- Andison Muzinda – Gaborone International School
- Vicki Baard – Trinityhouse Randpark Ridge
- Jordan Seokame – Crawford International Ruimsig
- Smangaliso Mdluli – Maragon Mooikloof
- Nhamoinesu Zinyandu – Trinityhouse Glenvista
The Stellar Teacher Awards
These awards celebrate educators who demonstrate dedication, creativity and effectiveness in their teaching, and honour those who inspire excellence and embrace ongoing professional growth, shaping a culture where teachers feel valued and motivated to excel.
Stellar Teacher Award winners were:
- Chantelle Claassens – Crawford International Pretoria
- Lauren de Freitas – Trinityhouse Little Falls
- Lalitha Govender – Crawford International La Lucia
- Vanessa Majola – Crawford International La Lucia
- Chelsea den Heyer – Tyger Valley College
- Cindy Francis – Glenwood House
- Lyndal Singery – The Bridge Lonehill
- Kelly Carew – Crawford International La Lucia
- Claire Ferreira – Trinityhouse Little Falls
- Shelby Parnall – Greenwood Bay College
“This year, we received 235 nominations, both from South Africa and internationally. All submissions demonstrated how thoughtful use of data, technology and innovation can elevate students’ learning experiences,” says Darren Purdon, Academic Project Manager at ADvTECH.
In total, 150 teachers advanced to Round 2, 116 educators submitted powerful video presentations for Round 3 and 20 portfolios were submitted for Round 4.
“Through their work, all nominees turn data into action, challenges into opportunities and classrooms into spaces of discovery and growth,” Purdon says.
“Their excellence continues to inspire our collective pursuit of quality education across the ADvTECH Group and reflects the Academic Centre of Excellence’s commitment to consistently superior outcomes and the rapid adoption of best practice across our schools.”