The country’s education system and its pupils deserve quality teachers who can tackle the challenges of the 21st century, Basic Education and Training Minister Angie Motshekga said on Tuesday.
“We need to proceed with speed in this critical area of giving the system and our children quality teachers,” Motshekga said at the launch of a new planning framework for teacher education and development in the next 15 years.
The strategic planning framework, which places teachers at the centre of education and development activities, was welcomed by, among others, the South African National Teachers’ Union and the National Professional Teachers’ Organisation of South Africa.
However, they called for the re-opening of teacher colleges.
Further Education and Training Minister Blade Nzimande said this was addressed in the framework through the expansion of education sites and a new university in Mpumalanga which would incorporate the former Ndebele College.
The framework follows the launch of the education sector’s “Action Plan 2014: Towards the realisation of schooling 2025”.
It provides direction on goals and expected outcomes around teacher development.
Motshekga said the document would help the department and stakeholders, including unions, make teacher development more coherent, better coordinated and collaborative.
Planning framework
“The challenge should not be underestimated. We must ensure that the collaboration that characterised the development of the planning framework continues in its implementation,” said Nzimande.
“Fingers cannot be pointed if we fail to implement [it] successfully, as [this] relies on the extent to which we all contribute — not least teachers themselves,” he said.
The higher education system intends producing 12 000 new teachers a year by 2014, failing which it will be answerable to President Jacob Zuma.
Nzimande said it was on track with 5 942 teacher graduations in 2008 increasing by 1 000 in 2009.
“We are certain that these gains will be sustained once the audited 2010 figures become available,” he said.
The development of higher education lecturers was also taking place.
In basic education and training, there had been a 40% increase in the recruitment of teachers.
This was partly due to the provision of funding through the Funza Lushaka bursary programme, which had produced 6 000 teachers in four years.
“We are working on diversifying our recruitment drive to ensure that even the most remote areas are targeted,” said Motshekga.
She urged teachers, as “knowledge workers”, to have at least a personal computer at home and for principals to have an e-mail address.
“You’ve got to be connected: your learners are. You are trailing behind and need to catch up with your learners,” she said. — Sapa