NTEA FAQs

Who can apply?

Please refer to the Eligibility and Criteria. (link)

Is there an age limit for NTEA applicants?

There is no age limit for National Teacher’s Excellence Award. We recommend that applicants have at least 3 years of experience in the education sector. 

Are applications in hardcopy posted to Pakistan ASCD acceptable? Are late applications acceptable?

The NTEA only considers applications submitted online through the link _______. Applications emailed or sent via post in hard copy are NOT acceptable. 

You must fill out the application before July 31, 2019 (11:59 PST).

The application link will automatically become inactive once the deadline has passed. Make sure that all your documentary evidence has been uploaded well before the deadline approaches. 

Can I save the application and return to it later?

 The NTEA application has to be filled in one go. You will NOT be able to SAVE the application and return to it later. You are advised to read through the application first and collect all relevant documents in place before you fill the application. Allow at least one hour to complete the application. Draft responses to the short questions on a word processor and proofread them before adding to the application. Please note that some sections may be hidden from your view and appear based on your response to a certain question. The basic details about the application and the response questions is provided below for your ease.

Why is my CNIC important?

Your CNIC is the primary document used for identity purposes. The details mentioned on your CNIC are considered to be your official details registered with the government of Pakistan. Wherever applicable, you should try to use the same information as it appears on your CNIC. NTEA may use your CNIC to verify your identity. 

Further, iI you are attending the Award event on October 5th 2019, we will require your CNIC details for security clearance. 

What are the components of NTEA application? 

The National Teacher’s Excellence Award application is an online form. We recommend that you fill it out in one sitting. Please allow at least 1 hours to complete the application. To prepare to fill out the application, either print out a PDF copy of the application or have the following information ready before accessing the online form:

Contact Information

•         First and last name
•         Email address
•         CNIC
•         Work phone number and work address
•         Describe social media presence
•         Name and email address of three references

Demographic Information

•         Date of birth
•         Years in the education field
•         Current role in education
•         Type of community served
•         Any leadership roles outside of education
•         Past and current professional affiliations

About You

•     If you have the opportunity to redo one thing from your experience as a teacher, what would it be and why? (250 words)
•     If you were to win the NTEA , how do you plan to spend the money (PKR 1 Million)? (250 words)
•     What is your proudest moment as an educator? (250 words)
•     As a teacher, do you learn from competition or collaboration? Elaborate using real life examples. (250 words)
•     How have you empowered students to become global citizens? (250 words)

Detailed Response Questions

• Describe a content lesson or unit that defines you as a teacher. How did you engage students of all backgrounds and abilities in the learning? How did that learning influence your students? How are your beliefs about teaching demonstrated in this lesson or unit? (maximum 500 words)
• Describe a project or initiative you have been involved in which contributed to the improvement of your school culture, community or overall education sector. What was your role, how did you collaborate with others, and what is the status of this project today? Please include evidence of student impact. (maximum 500 words)
• How do you ensure education extends beyond the classroom? Describe specific ways in which you deliberately connect your students with the community. Please include evidence of student impact. (maximum 500 words)
• What do you consider to be a major issue for education in Pakistan today? Describe how you demonstrate being a lifelong learner, leader, and innovator about this issue, both in and outside of the classroom walls. (maximum 500 words)
• As the 2019 Winner of NTEA, you serve as a spokesperson and representative for all teachers and students. What is your message? What will you communicate to your profession and to the public? (maximum 500 words)

 Is it important to strictly follow the word limit?

There is a word limit mentioned after every question in your short and detailed response questions. You are expected to follow the limit and not exceed it. However, the word limit does not provide the exact number of words that need to be written, rather, it is an estimate around which (+-10) your response should be. You should try to keep your responses brief and to the point. For detailed responses, cover as many points as possible in the minimum number of words. Please keep in mind that responses which are either too short or too long MAY lead to your application being marked down. 

What is a Resume?

A resume is a document which contains all your professional information. While you can include any other thing you feel is important, for the purpose of this application, you MUST include the following:

• Education and Degrees
• Certifications
• Work Experience and Professional Development
• Leadership Experience
• Awards & Other Recognition

PDF File format is preferred. Word or Google Doc are also accepted. Resumes should not exceed two pages, formatted no less than 10 point font, double-spaced with ½ inch margins. Please save your resume as follows:

FullName_Resume

What can I upload as documentary evidence? How do I share my websites, videos, blogs, etc.?

Anything that supports your experience and contribution as a teacher/educator. You can upload images, documents, certifications, awards and honours, videos or blog posts, etc. These could potentially show your involvement in a certain project, demonstrate one of your skills or provides evidence of impact on students and community. They could also demonstrate your unique method of teaching and innovation. You should try to upload evidences which complement your response. They should add depth to your application and give the reviewer insight about your work in support of it beyond what you have already mentioned in the application. However, please note that while you can upload up to five documents, it is not compulsory to do so.

The NTEA application allows you to provide weblinks of any online material that maybe there to see. You can provide these links as part of your responses. By doing so, you can save up the space for other evidences in the ‘Documents Upload’ section where you can upload up to five (5) documents/images/videos. The NTEA application also allows you to upload videos. However, you should try to choose the ones which are short and to the point.Please note that you can upload a maximum of 200 MB file for each.

What is a letter of recommendation? Who can write it for me?

Letter of recommendation is an optional element of the application. It is essentially a one-page document by someone who knows you and would give want to recommend you to the NTEA jury for consideration. The letter can describe your qualities, work ethics and quote incidents to back these claims. For choosing a person to write a letter of recommendation for you, you can consider the following:

Choose someone who knows you well.

Choose someone under whom you have worked with and who can attest to your goodness and qualities. 

For NTEA application, one recommendation may be from a colleague, administrator or student’s parent. 

You should ideally choose recommendations which cover diverse aspects of your life. 

The referee should NOT be your spouse, parent or relative. 

What are references?

References are a compulsory part of your NTEA application. You are required to provide contact details of three (3) references who can attest the details you have provided in the application. These references may be used to verify the truth value of your claims. Furthermore, in case you are shortlisted to the top 50 or top 10, these references can be approached by Pakistan ASCD to provide a written recommendation for you. 

If I have a question/query regarding the application, who do I ask?

You can direct your queries to Pakistan ASCD at the following contact details:

Email: 

Facebook message:

Phone:

Since the response time may vary, please make sure that you ask the questions well before the deadline to avoid any delay. Pakistan ASCD takes no responsibility for incomplete applications due to a delayed response to a query. Please note that questions and queries may NOT be answered after 12 hours before the deadline. 

What will be asked in the interview?

Interviews are a part of the selection process used in the second stage of the National Teacher’s Excellence Award. Only the top 50 candidates will be interviewed. 

Interview is essentially a follow-up to the application. Candidates may be asked questions related to their application, their personality,experience and the impact that they have achieved in their environment. Further details about the interview process and possible content shall be corroborated to the shortlisted candidates.