Teaching is considered one of the most important professions because teachers are responsible for educating and nurturing minds throughout their academic careers.
Despite this, fewer teaching graduates are entering the educational field, leaving a gap that desperately needs to be filled.
According to Stats SA about 15,000 new teachers graduate each year but this is far below the required number needed to maintain the student-teacher ratio.
A local East London teacher shared her thoughts on why some of the new graduates might avoid entering the profession.
“Some of the issues that have been raised include unfavourable teaching conditions like overcrowding in classrooms and a lack of teaching facilities.
“There has also been a surge of teachers in subjects like mathematics and physical sciences, which have made it difficult to find more teachers to fill positions for other subjects,” she said.
The situation has become difficult because the number of older teachers who are stepping into retirement is rising, which could lead to a shortage if more teachers do not fill the gap.
According to SPARK Schools, an NGO working to improve access to quality and affordable education, more than half of the teachers in the profession currently are over the age of 50, and only 49% of the teachers entering the profession are doing so as their first choice.
This growing disinterest in teaching is informed by a number of factors. However many young teachers cite burnout, insufficient infrastructure, and minimal support as the chief reasons they may be considering leaving the profession.
Dr. Claudia Nascimento from SPARKS School said the first step was to play a developmental role in the lives of first-time teachers.
Nascimento said: “Teaching is more than just delivering a lesson plan and instead teachers need to be capacitated to deliver a curriculum that considers context and history.
“Mastering this will enable educators to have the greatest impact on the South African educational system.
“Professional development for teachers should help them find ways to enhance their teaching methods and encourage more innovation in the classroom.
“Mentorship for teachers also creates educators who are well-versed in issues such as diversity, equity, and inclusion and can apply these in the classroom.
“Teachers who are professionally developed are better skilled at their jobs and are able to improve the field in general, support their colleagues and contribute to the overall development of the country’s education system.
“Research suggests that teachers in SA are leaving the profession because they do not feel valued and I believe that professional development, like mentorship, would go a long way towards improving this.”
Abulele Mbanyana, 24, is a young teacher taking up the profession despite the challenges facing the education system.
She teaches at an under-resourced school and despite her enthusiasm for the profession she struggled for a year before securing employment.
Mbanyana highlighted some of the biggest issues plaguing the profession.
“I think the department needs to prioritise the safety for educators, especially in township schools. There’s a lot of gang violence and some of the learners are part of it. They carry knives, guns, and drugs to school.
“There have been cases where these instances of violence have been directed towards the teachers and it happens more than we hear about it, actually,” said Mbanyana.
Loyiso Mbinda, Provincial CEO of Naptosa, EC said: “Any vacancy will require a certain profile of the teacher fit this vacancy, including their qualification, the level of teaching, the subjects they will be teaching as well as their SACE certificate. Any teacher that is to be considered for an appointment should be registered with the council for educators.”
