Noluthando Mchunu
Teachers’ union NATU says it hopes that, on this World Teachers’ Day, the structural challenges faced by educators across the country will be brought into sharper focus.
This year, teachers are being honoured under the theme: “Standing with teachers: 60 years of protecting the profession, advancing its status and shaping our futures.”
The Teacher Demographic Dividend research, conducted with Stellenbosch University, found that about half of teachers surveyed are considering leaving the profession within the next decade.
Overwork and administrative duties were among the main factors contributing to dissatisfaction, while teachers in rural and under-resourced schools also face challenges such as inadequate infrastructure and limited resources.
The research also highlights concerns about South Africa’s future teacher supply, with almost half of government-employed teachers aged 50 or older in 2021 and expected to retire within the following decade.
NATU says addressing these challenges is critical to retaining experienced educators, improving working conditions and ensuring quality teaching and learning.
NATU President Sibusiso Malinga asserted,”We know that teachers work under the most unbearable conditions and they are no longer appreciated the way they were appreciated but dispite all the odds, they are pushing very hard.”
click below to hear Malinga’s sentiments
Meanwhile, The teachers’ union SADTU in KwaZulu-Natal says that although teachers play an important role in society, they continue to face pressure in the workplace.
The union’s provincial secretary, Nomarashiya Caluza says school break-ins, violent learners and teachers not being paid properly are among the challenges that make it difficult to celebrate the day.
Click below to hear Caluza’s sentiments
