Education remains a key driver of economic growth and social development, yet challenges such as teacher shortages, professional development gaps, and stagnation in foundational learning continue to hinder progress.
These issues took centre stage at the Basic Education Sector Lekgotla at the Birchwood Hotel in Boksburg on Thursday.
The gathering brought together local and international education experts to discuss solutions for strengthening South Africa’s education system.
Andreas Schleicher, director for education and skills at the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development , highlighted the global struggle to attract and retain qualified teachers. “Most countries struggle to get qualified people for those kinds of jobs, and the outcomes are clear. You can see wherever there is a teacher shortage, that drives down the outcomes that we measure in our international assessments,” he said.
Schleicher said while large class sizes are often blamed for teacher burnout, administrative burdens play a bigger role. “It has much more to do with the administrative burden they have, the kind of paperwork they need to do, things they do not feel relate to working with students,” he said.
Prof Mary Metcalfe from the University of Johannesburg stressed the need to view education through a human rights and social justice lens. “You can’t help the government without the basic rights. You can’t get these rights without understanding that what you’re doing is building capabilities,” she said.
“One thing I’m disappointed about is the stagnancy in youth participation in opportunities for professional learning. Again, improvement, but not fast enough. And stagnation in grade 3 reading.”
Metcalfe said there was a great urgency to address these challenges. “We have to have a sense of urgency, passion, and determination, and be determined to do things for the people. We also have to acknowledge that there’s a long way ahead, and we are not where we want to be. Let’s not pretend it,” she said.
Prof Martin Gustafsson, a researcher with the department of basic education, said SA’s foundational skills were weak but that the country has made significant strides in foundational education.
“If you compare where we were in the early 2000s to now, the difference is substantial. Our learning outcomes were among the weakest globally, but today, we are much closer to the international norm. There’s still work to do, but the trajectory is encouraging,” he said.
Gustafsson highlighted both challenges and progress in mathematics education. “If you look at participation in mathematics over time, we see a decline. But what’s important to note is that while fewer learners are taking the subject, those who do are performing better. We are seeing an increase in the number of learners achieving 60% and 70% in mathematics, which suggests a shift in quality over quantity,” he said.
Schleicher said the future of education depended on fostering professional agency among teachers and students. “Teachers are not just good instructors, but great coaches, great mentors, good facilitators, and creative designers of truly innovative learning environments. And that agency is important,” he said.
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