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Thousands of underqualified Grade R teachers face job uncertainty

Details

education blackboard thumb medium80 92News24 reports that a total of 7,294 Grade R practitioners teaching at public schools are underqualified, according to the Department of Basic Education (DBE). This number includes 1,937 underqualified teachers in KwaZulu-Natal, 1,416 in the Western Cape, and 1,001 in the Eastern Cape.

The Basic Education Laws Amendment (BELA) Act, which was enacted in December, make Grade R compulsory. Briefing MPs on Tuesday, the DBE stated that 6,957 of the 7,294 identified Grade R practitioners had an NQF [National Qualifications Framework] level 4 or 5 qualification and that 337 did not have NQF level 4 qualifications. The minimum qualification for appointment for a new teacher is a Bachelor of Education (B Ed) degree, which is an NQF level 7 qualification. The presentation stated that the 337 practitioners who did not have an NQF level 4 qualification and those not willing to study towards a NQF level 6 “will be terminated from employment because they do not meet the requirements to teach in schools”. An opportunity will be given to the 6,957 to enrol for an NQF level 6 or 7 qualification (diploma or BEd in Foundation Phase). At least 3,372 of the 6,957 have already indicated they are willing to study. A collective agreement addressing the measures to deal with unqualified and underqualified Grade R practitioners has been drafted, and labour is still considering it. Basil Manuel of the National Professional Teachers’ Organisation of SA (Naptosa) said the issue “is not about how many people are qualified and unqualified but rather how we are going to help the unqualified people”. He added: “We’ve got to look at other models where we can continue to employ them given that they have been looking after our children for many, many years, even if we’ve got to look at a model that makes them teacher assistants.”

  • Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Prega Govender at News24 (subscription / trial registration required)


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