3 research outputs found
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Policy appropriation in teacher retention and attrition: the case of North-West province
We report on the 2008 study by the Human Sciences Research Council (HSRC) on teacher retention and attrition in South African public schools, with a focus on North-West Province. Data from the study show that some teachers prefer to leave the teaching profession for promotion posts in non-teaching areas within the education sector, while others leave the education sector altogether for the private sector. There is evidence though, that despite concerns about the adequacy of teacher supply, South Africa has enough teachers to meet current teacher demands. The estimated 5.5% teacher attrition rate, the insufficient production of teacher graduates by universities, and the increasing number of teachers ready and willing to leave the teaching profession should they receive better job offers, are unlikely to compromise the supply, or the current pool of teachers. The greatest threat to the retention of teachers in the teaching profession appears to be ways in which provincial and regional education offices appropriate teacher appointment policies and procedures. We argue that teacher recruitment and appointment procedures are open to abuse.
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Building on using the strengths of mathematics teacher education in South Africa
Mathematics education in South Africa is under microscopic lens, as it is one of the cornerstone in producing skilled scientists and mathematicians the country's economy and development needs. Lots of research done has revealed the poor teaching practices students are exposed to in previously disadvantaged schools. Inadequate content knowledge of mathematics teachers demonstrate has been claimed to be influential in the poor teaching practices. This paper then elicited the strengths South African mathematics teacher education possesses as a foundational place towards improvement. Surveys collected from five institutions that train mathematics teachers from Intermediate phase to FET phase were analysed to elicit the mathematics curriculum future teachers receive and attained in training. The findings revealed that South African curriculum on mathematics teacher education emphasises mostly professional training of teachers. Mathematics teacher training courses are very few leaving future teachers with limited knowledge for teaching mathematics.