Teacher Education in South Africa

South Africa is currently experiencing a shortage of teachers. According to one study, the country is in need of as many as 30,000 additional teachers by 2025. The government has invested heavily in teacher training, and more than doubled the number of annual graduates from teaching programs from 5,939 in 2008 to 13,708 in 2012. DHET projects that public universities will graduate more than 20,000 new teachers a year by 2019.

The standard requirement for these new teachers is a Bachelor of Education degree – a credential that is typically earned upon completion of four-year university program, including a one-year teaching internship. Alternatively, holders of a three-or four-year non-teaching bachelor’s degree can study for a one-year post-secondary Advanced Diploma in Education (also known as Postgraduate Certificate in Education).

After completing the necessary training, all potential teachers must register with the South African Council for Educators (SACE). Registered teachers are required to pay a monthly fee and follow a code of ethics; failure to meet these requirements will result in the termination of their registration. A number of lower-level teaching qualifications, such the Certificate in Education and the Diploma in Education are awarded by universities, mainly as exit qualifications in incomplete bachelor’s programs, but presently do not entitle to teach in South Africa.