More than 5000 teachers in SA are not qualified

EVERY day‚ tens of thousands of children are being taught by teachers who aren’t qualified to do so.

The result is that pupils are “not receiving the quality of teaching they’re supposed to be getting”‚ the South African Democratic Teachers’ Union has admitted.

And with maths and the sciences hardest hit‚ education authorities say the solution might have to come from outside South Africa’s borders.

Responding to a parliamentary question by the DA‚ the Education Department admitted 5 139 teachers – the vast majority in rural KwaZulu-Natal – are either unqualified or under-qualified.

While this was an improvement from 2014 (6 719 teachers) and 2015 (6 030 teachers)‚ it is still a worrying situation.

There are‚ according to a 2016 statistical study released by the department‚ about 435 000 teachers across the country.

In the response to the DA‚ the department revealed that last year:

● KZN had 2 875 unqualified or under-qualified teachers, 57% of the national total;

● The Northern Cape had the second-most‚ with 400 unqualified or under-qualified teachers; and

● Limpopo was best off‚ with just 15 such teachers.

The response also showed that five districts across the country had more than 200 unqualified or under-qualified teachers each: eMtshezi (231)‚ Paulpietersburg (228) and Ixopo (219)‚ all in KZN‚ and Ngaka Modiri Molema (218) and Dr Ruth Segomotsi Mompati (201)‚ both in the North West.

Figures for individual districts in the Free State were not provided.

“The focus of the department‚ at a national level‚ is to address the supply of educators through various initiatives. These include the Funza Lushaka Bursary Scheme and the appointment of foreign educators qualified to teach scarce skills‚” the response reads.

Newly appointed DA shadow education minister Ian Ollis said the implications were severe.

For him‚ the solution lay in specialist facilities for new teachers.

“We need teacher colleges urgently reintroduced.” — TMG