With more teachers leaving the profession due to burnout and emotional strain, South Africa marked World Teachers’ Day on 5 October. Following MEC David Maynier’s announcement of a R500 million investment in teacher training over the next three years, Courtney Arendse & Benjamin Smith asked a few local educators whether this support will truly address their needs.
“Many educators experience burnout due to the psychosocial and economic challenges their learners face. These challenges often manifest in the classroom as discipline problems and learning barriers. Educators are then burdened with managing these difficulties while being pressured to teach the curriculu and mark assessments. Although many educators strongly desire to leave the profession, South Africa does not offer suitable employment alternatives. They face systemic issues in schools — overcrowded classrooms, mixed-ability learners in the same space, and under-resourced environments.” – Melanie Adonis, Principal at Atlantis Secondary School.
“As a student teacher, going abroad feels like the only viable option because jobs in South Africa are scarce, and post-level 1 salaries are simply not enough to start a life. Teachers carry roles far beyond teaching, leading to burnout. We need to value their work, raise salaries, and create opportunities to keep educators here.” – Jaydon Bruce, fourth-year teaching student, University of the Western Cape.
“We do not get on-the-ground support from the Department. Officials rarely visit to demonstrate best practices; instead, they mainly request our files. Teachers’ well-being should be prioritised before decisions are made.”
– Tammy-Lee Appollis, Grade 4 teacher at Pella Primary.
“The biggest challenge we face is overcrowded classrooms, with some having nearly fifty learners. The support that is lacking at schools is the appointment of extra teachers. Many teachers are leaving the profession because administrative demands have become overwhelming and immediate, shifting focus away from actual teaching and curriculum delivery.”
– Carmen Gilmore, Principal at Pella Primary.
“Every child’s well-being is my concern. The support we get from the Department is there, but it is not sufficient. Most of the support we receive comes from colleagues. There are many socio-economic challenges at the school, and we need more social workers. Increasing salaries and reducing class sizes could help retain teachers in South Africa.” – Herman Herklaas, Principal at Parkview Primary.
***Opinions expressed in this article are those of the individuals and do not reflect the views of the Western Cape Government.
