Education in South Africa

Key to the Future

Mr. Chris WoodEconomics Instructor

2008 Study Tour Participant

Some information taken froma presentation by

Mr. Mafu Rakometsi, Superintendent General,

Free State Department of Education; and

Dr. R. Cassius Lubisi, Superintendent General, KZN

Department of Education, NCEE Annual Conference 2007

South African Education Stats• 27,000 public schools• 365,000 teachers• 12 million pupils in public

schools• 50 multi-campus FET (vocational)

colleges• 22 multi-campus universities• 650,000 university students

South African Education in Brief

General Challenges• School physical infrastructure

backlogs• Shortage of qualified teachers

in gateway subjects• Poor subject content

knowledge among many teachers

• Inadequate access to textbooks and other learning materials

Context of the SA Economy

Historical legacy• Apartheid racial division of

labor.• Implementers were

alienated from the means of production.

• Result: a generally weak base of economic understanding among the country’s population

South African Education

• Dual governance of primary and secondary education (national and provincial); higher education/teacher education is solely national.

• National government determines national policy, norms and standards (including national curriculum).

• Provinces are the primary implementing agents, run schools and employ teachers.

Map of South African Education

Higher Education(NQF Levels 5-10)

Bachelors, Masters and Doctoral Degrees, etc

Universities

Further Education and Training(NQF Levels 2-4)

Grades 10-12 Secondary Schools(grades 8-12)

General Education and Training(NQF Level 1)

Senior Phase(grades 7-9) Primary

Schools(grades R-7)Intermediate

Phase(grades 4-6)

Foundation Phase(grades R-3)

Economic Education in the Curriculum

General Education and Training (GET)

• In grades R-9, part of Economic and Management Sciences (EMS) Learning Area.

• 50%+ of EMS curriculum contains economics.

• EMS compulsory for grades R – 9

• Previously there was no economic education in the lower classes.

Further Education and Training (FET)

• In grades 10-12, Economics is offered as free-standing elective subject in the National Senior Certificate.

Economic Education in the Curriculum (continued

)

Teacher Preparation

• Initial Professional Education of Teachers (IPET) done at universities.

• Economics teachers must study the discipline of Economics and also pedagogy.

• Primary school teachers have a less rigorous training in the discipline of economics.

• Continuing Professional Development (CPD)–Bulk of teacher

development endeavors are in CPD.–Some teachers enroll in

universities on their own to improve themselves.–New national and

provincial departments of education CPD programs

Teacher Preparation(continued)

Challenges Facing Teachers

A.Inadequate Training in the Discipline

• Many teachers that teach Economics in grades R-9 have not been adequately trained in Economics.

• Teacher often teaching subject matter based on a three to five day orientation program.

B. Challenges of Active Learning

• Teaching Economics in a practical and creative manner is difficult.

• Promotion of active learning requires a paradigm shift for many of the teachers.

• Large classes compromise the possibility of active learning.

Challenges Facing Teachers(continued)

C. Textbook Challenges• Not all learners have

textbooks, making the role of the teacher more difficult.

• Many of the available textbooks do not provide adequate guidance for those teachers for whom economics is not a specialization.

Challenges Facing Teachers(continued)

Credits

Other pictures an information can be seen on my website www.cwoodecon.com