Maths ‘Teach Ambassadors’ graduate

EIGHTY-seven Teach Ambassador graduates will soon use their skills to improve the performance of maths, science and English pupils in schools across the country.

Minister of Basic Education Angie Motshekga congratulated the teachers during a graduation ceremony at the Nelson Mandela Foundation in Johannesburg at the weekend.

Through the department’s partnership with Teacher Education and Curriculum Help South Africa (TeachSA), the teachers completed an intensive training programme. It was established to improve maths, science and English pupil performance in Grades 4 to 12.

Since 2009, 810 Teach Ambassadors have been recruited and trained, with 566 already placed in 294 lowresourced schools across the country.

“Congratulations to all our graduates. You have earned your stripes. I feel a huge sense of pride and achievement to see all of you converged here to reap the benefits of your hard work and tenacity,” Motsheka said.

“Today, as these young people graduate, they are removing the chains of poverty and putting an end to the source of unfreedom.”

Motshekga said the role TeachSA played was integral to the basic education ecosystem, and supported their work at the institutional level.

“This will help teachers in basic and higher education tend to the challenges associated with the teaching and learning of maths so that pupil outcomes are improved.”

Recently, the department also launched the National Association of English Teachers of South Africa.

“It is commendable that TeachSA plugs the gap with essential skills,” Motsheka said.