The Minister for Higher Education and Training published the new national policy on the Minimum Requirements for Teacher Education Qualifications on 15 July 2011 in Government Gazette No 34467. This policy replaces the Norms and Standards for Educators in Schooling, 2000, in its entirety. The purpose of the policy is to specify a “set of minimum requirements for teacher education qualifications aimed at ensuring that the higher education system produces the kinds of teachers that the country needs”.

It provides a framework and minimum requirements for application by accredited institutions in the design of their new core curricula for initial and continuing teacher education. The new admission requirements and curricula for both teaching diplomas and degrees apply to all educators that provide professions educational services for Grades R to 12.

Time-frames

All institutions providing teacher qualification programmes are required to develop new and compliant teacher qualification programmes. The last date for the intake of students into the old NQF levels will be July 2014.

Effect of the policy

Only students who have completed the requisite accredited teacher qualification education programmes will be employed in public education. The policy does provide a process for the up-scaling of the qualifications of those teachers who currently do not meet the prescribed qualification requirements.

Prescribed qualifications

All new entrants intending to become Foundation Phase (FP) teachers, including Grade R to Grade 3, should register for a Bed (FP) rather than for a Grade R Teaching Diploma, although those only wanting to teach Grade R may complete a Diploma in Grade R teaching – which is the new minimum qualification to teach Grade R.

Grade R is the first year of the FP where children aged 5 years are prepared for formal schooling. The focus is on learning through play, developing physical coordination, and developing spoken language competence and fundamental ideas that will form the basis for the further development of numeracy and literacy.

For all other teachers, including the FP phase teachers, the minimum qualification is a Bachelor of Education Degree or an Advanced Diploma in Teaching. For continuing development of teachers, an Advanced Certificate in Teaching or a Bachelor of Education Honours Degree is required.

The policy further prescribes minimum entry requirements for these qualification programmes, the minimum of which is a matric certificate, as well as the knowledge mix to be provided during the course of the degree or diploma.

Upgrading historical qualifications

The policy provides a pathway for upgrading historical educator qualifications to comply with the new minimum qualifications. For example, a Grade R teacher who holds a level 4 ECD qualification must do a Diploma in Grade R teaching to be able to continue to teach this Grade. For those who do not meet the entry requirements into the Diploma, they can gain access by completing a cognate access programmes at Higher Certificate Level.

Roles of teachers in a school

The policy prescribes the following roles of teachers in schools:

• specialist in a phase, subject or practice;
• learner mediator;
• interpreter and designer of learning programmes and materials;
• leader, administrator and manager;
• scholar, researcher and lifelong learner;
• assessor; and
• community, citizenship and pastoral role.

Basic competencies of a beginner teacher

The policy prescribes some of the following basic competencies of a beginner teacher:

• sound subject knowledge;
• must know how to teach subjects and how to select, determine the sequence pace in accordance with subject and learner needs;
• must know who their learners are and how they learn and must tailor their teaching accordingly;
• effective communicator;
• highly developed literacy, numeracy and IT skills;
• knowledgeable about the school curriculum;
• understanding diversity in the South African context in order to teach inclusively and to be able to identify learning and social problems and work in partnership with professional service providers to address these.

WEB LINKS FOR THIS ARTICLE

Click here to view a copy of the Policy on Minimum Requirements for Teacher Education Qualifications