The 2030 Reading Panel Background Report set out the challenges that are being faced by the education sector in South Africa. One worrying finding states that 45% of teachers will retire in the next 10 years.
It explained that almost half of the teachers in public schools are about to reach the retirement age of 60 years old. To replace these retiring teachers, universities will need to increase teacher production from 26,000 in 2018 to 44,000 by 2025 to 50,000 by 2030.
CEO of the Jakes Gerwel Fellowship, Julian Hewitt says this is a massive challenge which will be facing all provinces in South Africa. He adds that it is also across all phases of schools.
“At the moment we are producing 6,000 teachers as an education system every year and by the year 2030, that will be about 50,000 teachers that will be added to sustain the current teachers” explained Hewitt.
The Jakes Gerwel Fellowship is advocating for teaching to become a first-choice career for young people. This is because data suggests that only around 49% of teachers say the profession was their first choice.
To increase the number of teachers, the fellowship provides full scholarships to graduates to obtain a Postgraduate Certificate in Education (PGCE). Click Here For More Information On This Scholarship
A PGCE is one of the two qualifications needed to be classified as a qualified teacher in South Africa. The other qualification individuals can pursue is a Bachelor of Education degree.
Hewitt says that also wants to ensure that individuals are choosing the profession of teaching for the right reason which will improve the quality of learning in schools.
They also offer a two-year programme for teachers and teaching graduates to support them in the classroom, enabling them to be the best teachers they can be. Click Here For More Information On The Two-Year Fellowship.
