Teacher training targets missed

BUDGET CONSTRAINTS BLAMED

THE Department of Education has failed to meet its own targets meant to develop the skills of thousands of teachers in key learning areas.

That is the revelation contained in the department’s annual performance plan target for the 2017/18 financial year, tabled before members of the Education Portfolio Committee yesterday.

The teachers were due for a skills upgrade in numeracy and literacy.

The report said the department had set a target of 42 504 teachers to be trained in literacy language, content and methodology.

It managed to train about 24 701 and missed the target by 17 803.

The number of educators trained in numeracy, mathematics content and methodology also failed to meet the target.

It had set a target of 42 504 but managed to train 19 174, missing the target by 23 330.

The figures represent teachers across the board in both high school and primary.

The failure to meet teacher’s training needs follows revelations that pupils were struggling with reading their mother tongue and many were struggling with numeracy.

Education expert Professor Labby Ramrathan – the director of School of Education Studies UKZN – said that while training was important, it was not solely responsible for the quality of education, adding that parents and pupils had an important role to play.

Department acting head of curriculum Dr Barney Mthembu said while the department had not met its target for training, this was not a train smash.

“We have done training in the same year.”

Mthembu said training was important to keep teachers up to date with new policies and new developments in the field.

“We must emphasise that there is no relationship between these types of training and the teacher quality.”

DA MPL Dr Rishigen Viranna said he was concerned with the revelations.

“These are basic skills, reading and writing that all learners should have.

“It is of concern that teachers have not been trained when they need the skills to teach these subjects.

“There have been many reports, which have shown that about 78% of our pupils cannot read for understanding in their home language.

“The department is saying they could not meet its target because of budgetary constraints, this is laughable considering it was able to waste millions on sanitary towels,” he said.

ANC MPL Nontembeko Nothemba Boyce said she found it personally insulting whenever it was mentioned that some pupils cannot read for comprehension in their home language.

Respect

IFP MPL Thembeni KaMadlopha-Mthethwa said while training was important, bringing back respect and restoring the teacher’s pride in their profession was key to improving education quality.

Ramrathan said training cannot stand alone. “You need to have systems in place.

“For instance, most of the training happens after school, teachers have to take their own time for training and that is just not conducive,” he said.

He said ideally a teacher should be able to take time off from school, go for training and then come back to the schooling system.

Ramrathan said the issue of poor quality education did not just rest on the training of the teachers.

“The issue is quite complex with a number of factors.

“Our classes are too big, so there is no space for individual attention.

“In many cases, learning for learners stops in schools, at home they are busy with other home chores.”