Staff Reporter

THE AVBOB Road To Literacy campaign, in partnership with Oxford University Press Southern Africa (OUPSA), aims to transform the lives of primary school children across South Africa by making reading and numeracy books accessible, especially to underserved schools. This public-nomination initiative provides children with books in their mother tongue.

At an event held on 13 June 2024 at the AVBOB Head Office in Irene Link, Centurion, Carl van der Riet, CEO of AVBOB, and Karen Simpson, Managing Director of OUPSA, announced the beneficiaries of the 500 trolley libraries (a substantial increase from the 260 trolley libraries donated in 2023 and the 180 trolleys donated in 2022).

Each trolley library holds 500 books tailored to the CAPS curriculum and is estimated to be worth R65,000. The total
investment value for the 2024 campaign came to R32,5 million. The trolley libraries were donated to deserving primary schools and educational Non-Profit Organisations (NPOs) through public nominations.

According to Van der Riet, more than 7,000 nominations were received this year, posong a challenge for the AVBOB
adjudicators as choosing the “best” motivations was not an easy task.

The 2024 national AVBOB Road To Literacy campaign had a mother-tongue focus, as children who learn to read in their
mother tongue are more likely to stay and succeed in school (Kosonen, 2005).

This collaborative effort between AVBOB and OUPSA underscores their support of the Department of Education by providing CAPS-aligned resources to assist learners in improving reading proficiency and understanding. Since South Africa was ranked last out of the 57 countries in the Progress in International Reading Literacy Study in 2021, it is such partnerships that make a difference in society. The study tested the reading ability of 400,000 students globally and showed that 81% of South African children could not read for comprehension in any of the country’s 11 official written languages. The aim of the AVBOB and OUPSA initiative is to positively impact children by making reading accessible and popular.

In his address, Van der Riet said, “The skills of literacy and numeracy are not only fundamental human rights but also serve as the means for the pursuit and attainment of other human rights. They are the foundation for achieving education and the broader goal of improving livelihoods and reducing poverty.”

He explained that AVBOB was established to help people through challenging times and has never veered from that original purpose. “We still exist for the people, and our mutual status is a cornerstone of who we are,” he added. Van der Riet further stated that AVBOB is owned by its members as it is a mutual society, and it exists solely to serve its members’ interests and that of the wider community.

“Our Environmental, Social, and Governance strategy underscores this commitment, guiding us to make decisions that are not only profitable but also sustainable and socially responsible,” he said.

Guest speaker Gugulethu Ndebele, Executive Director of the Oprah Winfrey Academy for Girls, provided valuable insight into the importance of mother-tongue reading. She praised AVBOB’s long-standing and unwavering commitment to education. She emphasised that trolley libraries are only effective if integrated into other teaching activities and strategies to achieve a holistic education outcome.

Simpson from OUPSA said, “Our mission at Oxford University Press is to transform lives through learning. We believe that partnerships with like-minded organisations, such as AVBOB, are essential in realising our vision to positively impact the lives of millions of learners anytime, anywhere. Our collaboration with AVBOB has strengthened over the last three years, and we are exceptionally proud of our involvement in the 2024 Road To Literacy campaign, which supports so many deserving schools where access to the right literacy resources can make the biggest difference to learning outcomes.”

INSIDE EDUCATION

Staff Reporter

Rowing South Africa’s Olympic-qualified athletes have been training intensively in Tzaneen, preparing for the upcoming Games in Paris.

The team, focusing on the men’s pair and women’s single scull, will leave South Africa on 18 July, with the Olympic rowing events set to start on 27 July.

The South African Sports Confederation and Olympic Committee has announced the men’s pair of Chris Baxter and John Smith, along with their coach Tiago Loureiro.

Paige Badenhorst clinched her place in the women’s single sculls for the Games.

The serene setting of Tzaneen, nestled in Limpopo, has provided an ideal environment for the athletes to refine their techniques, build stamina, and develop mental resilience.

Both the men’s pair and the women’s single scull have been working tirelessly, honing their skills and strength through long on-the-water sessions, strength conditioning, and race simulations. These athletes are seasoned competitors with a history of international success, demonstrating exceptional determination, precision, and drive.

In the men’s pair, the dynamic duo of Baxter and Smith has developed a strong synergy, working as a cohesive unit both in and out of the boat.

Meanwhile, Badenhorst, the women’s single sculler, has spent countless hours perfecting her technique under the guidance of her coaching team. Her training is designed to optimise her speed and endurance, key elements for excelling in the demanding single-scull event.

This unity among the athletes and their coaches fosters a sense of camaraderie and mutual support.

As the team prepares to leave for Paris, there is a palpable sense of anticipation and excitement. The hard work and dedication shown in Tzaneen have laid a solid foundation for a successful Olympic campaign, and the team is eagerly looking forward to the challenges and triumphs that await them in the French capital.

The team carries the hopes and support of a nation ready to make waves on the international stage.

INSIDE EDUCATION

Tsitsi Mavambe and Nhlanhla Mpofu

Reading is a powerful tool. It introduces children to new ideas. It shapes their academic journey and progress. It also equips them with skills to navigate the world, both at school and beyond.

Sadly, it’s estimated that more than 202 million children and young people in sub-Saharan Africa do not have age-appropriate reading, writing and numeracy skills. The region’s youth literacy rate (for people aged between 15 and 24) stands at about 77%. The global rate is 95%.

Namibia performs above the regional average, with a youth literacy rate of 91.5%. But challenges persist. Many children with language barriers and other reading-related issues are enrolled in mainstream classrooms alongside learners who are performing at the expected age level. Their issues are not necessarily severe enough to require enrolment in special schools, but they do need some extra guidance and support from teachers. However, not all teachers in mainstream schools have the necessary specialised training and support to effectively help non-readers in their classes.

Existing research indicates that even with limited formal training, experienced teachers can support non-readers by drawing upon their knowledge of learners and learning contexts.

To learn more about how teachers do this, we did a study of primary school teachers in Namibia. We wanted to understand what worked, and what didn’t, when they instructed non-reading students.

We found that teachers were using the right strategies, but they were not giving targeted attention to the non-readers in their classes. Rather, they were teaching the whole class in the same way. This left the non-readers struggling.

The study
The study focused on primary school teachers in the Ompundja circuit in Namibia’s Oshana region. They taught Grade 5s, aged on average between 10 and 11.

Oshikwanyama and English were the languages studied at the five public schools where we conducted our research, though most learners spoke Oshindonga as their home language. The schools were moderately resourced and the teachers who participated all held tertiary qualifications, ranging from diplomas to Masters degrees.

First we asked teachers to describe the methods they used to support students who struggled to read. Here’s what they told us.

Reinforcement was key. Teachers said they sought to consolidate non-readers’ prior knowledge and reinforce their existing skills and understanding. To do so, they used vocabulary board charts, pictures and word visuals that related to the comprehension passage that was studied. These approaches motivated the non-readers and helped them to concentrate better.

The teachers said they avoided diving straight into having students read the assigned texts. Instead, they read aloud to the class first. This allowed them to model fluent reading, introduce new vocabulary, and generate discussion about the content before the students attempted to read it themselves. They also used other traditional strategies for teaching reading comprehension, like asking questions and linking what they read to the students’ own experiences.

Strategies like this prepared the students in advance, making them more receptive and engaged when they did begin reading the material independently.

Research has shown that the integration of these two sets of strategies – reinforcement and anticipation – is crucial for teaching reading to non-readers.

During our interviews, the teachers said these strategies were being used specifically for non-readers in their classes. But the second part of our study, when we sat in and observed classes, showed that this was not the case.

Shortcomings
The teachers identified their non-reading students for us before our observations began. In fact, these students were seated together. They were in the minority in all five classrooms we observed. Despite their seating arrangements, we did not see any evident, distinct interactions or differentiated instruction aimed at non-readers during lessons.

The lessons simply progressed without any clear indication that the teachers were intentionally implementing the specialised strategies they described during interviews for the students who struggled with reading.

What they’d said in interviews was true: they did use well-established instructional reinforcement and anticipatory strategies – vocabulary board charts, visual aids, read-alouds and other techniques. But these were aimed at the entire class, no matter their reading abilities or individual struggles.

This raises concerns about whether the struggling students are truly receiving the tailored instruction and scaffolding they need to develop their reading skills and comprehension. During the classroom observations, we observed an overuse of chorus responses and learners who could not respond to questions posed to them. This suggested that not only the non-readers, but also some of the readers were struggling to engage with the material.

Potential interventions
Based on our findings, we recommend that teachers whose classes contain a mix or fluent and non-reading students implement differentiated approaches to instruction.

This involves assessing students’ reading levels and dividing the class into small groups based on their proficiency. Teachers can then provide targeted instruction and activities at the appropriate level for each group, focusing on foundational reading skills for non-readers and more advanced reading comprehension exercises for fluent readers.

This flexible grouping structure allows for students to move between groups as their skills improve. This fosters a collaborative, inclusive and dynamic learning environment. It allows non-readers to benefit from the modelling and support of their more proficient peers, while also challenging the fluent readers to develop their teaching and leadership skills.

The story was first published in The Conversation.

Zama Mthombeni

South Africa’s government and higher education sector have invested a lot of time and money over the past two decades to enhance the country’s research output and cultivate the next generation of researchers.

Though there has been some progress, South Africa still isn’t close to its National Development Plan target of reaching 100 PhDs per one million people by 2030. By 2021 the rate stood at 59 PhDs per million people.

A doctoral degree is the highest academic qualification awarded by universities. Obtaining a PhD means a researcher has advanced knowledge in their field and credibility in academia. These qualities can pave the way for opportunities to make groundbreaking scientific contributions. So, efforts continue to grow South Africa’s PhD cohort. These largely take the form of funding initiatives driven by, among others, the National Research Foundation (NRF).

But these initiatives often overlook doctoral students who work full-time while pursuing their PhDs – of whom there are a significant number. For instance in a 2020 study, Stellenbosch University’s Centre for Research on Evaluation, Science and Technology tracked the demographics, work experience and career paths of more than 32,000 doctorate holders who graduated from South African universities between 2000 and 2018. The researchers found that

just over 60% of South African doctoral graduates over the past 19 years were employed full time during their doctoral studies. This means that the majority of doctoral students in this country study part time.

PhD programmes are intense and demanding. This cohort of students must manage this reality while also juggling an extra load, balancing full-time employment with family and other personal responsibilities.

The problem is that the kinds of initiatives I’ve described simply aren’t catering to this large and important group. Nor are most universities’ doctoral programmes. Research indicates that there is simply not enough money in the system to allow PhD students already working at universities to be paid a salary to study full time. This approach is common in some Scandinavian countries and allows candidates to finish their PhDs far more quickly than their South African counterparts.

I am a scholar who focuses on how public policy and developmental frameworks influence equity, access and effectiveness in higher education. In a recent study I set out to better understand the experiences of non-traditional doctoral students. I identified several key factors that influenced how their PhD journeys unfolded, what held them back in certain areas and what helped them to succeed.

My study found that none of the non-traditional doctoral students completed their PhDs in the standard three-year period. Most took five or six years instead. Various factors contributed to this delay, including personal responsibilities such as marriage and childcare. Some students also cited institutional factors from their universities, such as a lack of support, poor and slow administration, and insufficient financial support during their studies.

Understanding and addressing the unique needs of this cohort is essential for several reasons. By supporting these students, South Africa can increase its research output and meet its national research and development goals more effectively. It can also lead to higher retention and completion rates, benefiting both students and institutions.

An overlooked cohort
I interviewed 15 people who worked in the same research institution (not a university) while pursuing their doctoral degrees. Some had already graduated and others were still studying. They represented a range of fields, like politics, sociology, economics and agriculture.

My findings fell under three key themes.

The first was that the participants struggled to balance academic demands with their professional and personal responsibilities. Most were mid-career professionals or parents when they undertook their PhDs. This added a layer of complexity to their doctoral journey. One of the participants told me that they would have been able to finish their doctorate a year earlier had they not been working full time.

The second theme related to support systems. Participants told me that their employers and work mentors provided more support than their doctoral supervisors. Some said this was because their PhD projects were highly specialised and had originated from experiences and learnings in their workplaces. Others said it was simply easier to access their work mentors, since they were in the same place; still others found that their doctoral supervisors weren’t always available or responsive.

My supervisor at the university tries their level best but I feel my research organisation does a better job in terms of giving me the expertise I need. Especially with publications. I am doing my PhD through publication, and I get more insight from my mentor (at work).

The third theme was institutional flexibility. For instance, there was little room within doctoral programmes for flexible scheduling. This inflexibility extended to financial considerations. Several participants told me they registered as full-time students because part-time students didn’t qualify for fee remission or other financial assistance. One reflected:

Funding is very important because when people pursue their doctoral degrees they’re mostly in their adulthood and funding is not about your studies only, but (is) used as a means for your livelihood given our unemployment rate in South Africa. I was helping at home financially and I believe that your economic situation plays a crucial role in your success.

Recommendations
These concerns can be addressed in several ways.

Universities should establish comprehensive support systems tailored to the needs of this cohort. That includes flexible scheduling, part-time study options, and dedicated mentorship programmes that address both academic and professional challenges.

Policy reform is important, too. At a national level, policymakers should design funding programmes and scholarships that specifically target this cohort. Some bursaries only fund students registered as full time. Institutions should ensure that students who are both working and studying towards PhDs full-time can access financial benefits even if they are registered part-time. This can include fee remission and scholarships.

Finally, given that most of my participants – and those profiled in the Stellenbosch study – already work in higher education institutions (universities, research councils), there should be partnerships between the universities these students attend and their workplaces. Such collaborations can provide additional support, align academic and professional goals, and create synergies that benefit both the students and their employers.

Zama Mthombeni is a Researcher at the Human Sciences Research Council.

The story was first published in The Conversation.

Edwin Naidu

Mindful that her hands are full, given the enormity of the challenges, the new Democratic Alliance Minister of Basic Education, Siviwe Gwarube, has pledged to eliminate pit toilets in rural schools because, thirty years into democracy, “schools should not be graveyards”.

“It is a crime. It’s letting down the most vulnerable because everybody else can unionise and organise, right? But learners and children can’t, so it’s incumbent on leaders in society to say, this is a crime; we cannot have this in our schools,” Gwarube, the former DA Chip Whip in the National Assembly, told Inside Education.

“I will certainly be working day and night to make sure that that is no longer a reality for many learners who essentially are poor, black pupils, subjected to these conditions because of the inequality that we experience in South Africa.”

In her first media interview 24 hours after being sworn in as Minister of Basic Education, replacing the long-serving Angie Motshekga, Gwarube said she was concerned about low literacy and numeracy levels as South Africa has fallen behind its peers globally and on the continent.

She said it was alarming that Grade 4 learners could not read for meaning since it was an advanced level of the foundation phase.

“That worries me because we are in trouble if we don’t correct the foundation. The second one is children are dying prematurely and unnecessarily because of unsafe infrastructure. Schools should not be graveyards. They should be places of opportunity and learning. And these two priorities are incredibly close to my heart,” she said.

“When one looks at the existence of pit latrines in South Africa, that there are still children in our democracy who die in these toilets, that is something that I am dedicating myself to working with other Cabinet colleagues, to say we want to eradicate the pit toilets as soon as possible. And we want to ensure that there are enough students and learners in our system who can read and read for meaning and are ready for an economy of the future.”

Regarding the controversial Basic Education Laws Amendment (BELA) Bill, Gwarube said it was essential to separate the politics of the Government of National Unity from her work.

“We will have robust political engagement in the Government of National Unity. There will be policy discussions and disagreements. But when it comes to my work in the department, I do not want politics playing itself out.

“I want to assure anybody in the department or a stakeholder that the department’s work must be completely apolitical. We must ensure that we implement what is best for the system, not necessarily the interests of a political party.

“Regarding the opposition to the Bela Bill by the Democratic Alliance that is now in my current capacity, I’d have to look at this in its entirety. It’s important not to throw out the entire bill with the bathwater. The objectives of the Bela Bill are important and commendable – however, some sections concern stakeholders regarding the erosion of the powers of School Governing Bodies.

“I want to have an honest conversation with the President and use my Cabinet seat to say, look, Mr President, there’s an opportunity here. We can send this bill back to the National Assembly, but some of these things we can resolve and not tie this up in legal warfare for years. That will be my approach to say to the president, here’s the bill, and petition him to say, as my colleague, can we send this bill back to the National Assembly to discuss the contentious parts.”

Furthermore, Gwarube wants a curriculum review to understand how to adequately equip learners going through the system to start in grade R or the early child development centres and ensure they remain in the system until they leave grade 12.

“This is important because how do we ensure that the product they leave with – that matric certificate – is of quality and equips them for an economy of the future? That is the question that we must be asking.

“And we also must be asking ourselves, are we retaining enough learners across the system? It’s one thing to look at just the matric results and be content with that, but we’ve got to look at those results in context. Are those same people who started grade R the same number of students who finish?”

Of course, she said, while some learners branched off to TVET and Community Colleges, there must be a mechanism for tracking whether they are staying in school, getting a good quality education, and whether the educators are supportive, capacitated, and resourced enough to deliver a good quality product.

Turning to the importance of technology, she said it’s important to consider the department from a social level and one that had significant economic value.

“For me, that is the value of technology because you are equipping learners to vote for the economy of the future. Otherwise, I mean we are getting left behind around the globe. Countries like India have used technology to develop an entire industry of call centres and services for the rest of the world.

During her tenure, the Minister said she wants to explore public-private partnerships, especially in technological advancements, since it was in the interest of any significant economic player in South Africa to invest in the country’s future.

Citing the example of collaboration between the Chemical Industries Education & Training Authority (CHIETA) and private sector firm Highveld Industrial Park to launch the CHIETA SMART Skills Centre in rural Mpumalanga, she said society must step in, “because we can’t allow learners in South Africa to be left behind, while the rest of the world is doing incredible things in the world of technology”.

Since opening the first centre in Saldanha Bay in October 2022, more than 10,000 youth in rural areas have visited these centres to access free data services or print their CVs to apply for jobs. Smart Skills Centres have also opened in the Western Cape, Kwazulu-Natal, the Eastern Cape, and the Brits Smart Skills Centre in the North West and Modjadjiskloof Smart Skills Centre in Limpopo.

“I think for the private sector, it’s not just as an act of kindness, there’s an economic incentive for them to invest in the technology of learners in South Africa.”

She would also like to see civic education fused into the curriculum to deepen democracy.

“The Independent Electoral Commission also has to come on board in terms of really activating that kind of work in schools in a nonpartisan way because what you want is to make sure that learners are civic-minded because we can’t have a situation where essentially half of the country’s population is checking out of the political system,” she said.

Concluding the interview with a question on the South African Democratic Teacher’s Union’s criticism of the DA getting the DBE portfolio, the Minister said she has no doubt she would work well with all stakeholders.

“I will orient myself, getting briefings from the department and our entities, like Umalusi and SACE, and meeting stakeholders, including unions and SGB bodies.

“My one message is, if your priority is to place the learner’s future at the centre of all we do, we will find each other. I cannot think of anything that will make us not get along.

“My understanding is that the union exists for its members, but its members are people who have dedicated themselves to educate learners, and if we can remember why they are there, why I am here, then we already have found common ground. I’m convinced that because our common interest is the learner’s future, we will certainly find each other,” she said.

INSIDE EDUCATION

Johnathan Paoli

In yet another racist incident that is rocking the country, the Pinelands High School in the Western Cape Town, has had to suspend several pupils for racism and bullying after the emergence of a video depicting Coloured learners auctioning off caged Black learners.

In the video which went viral on social media, the learners can be seen joking about selling off their classmates to the highest bidder, with prices starting from R10 000.

The video was entitled “Slavery at schools is crazy”, and illustrated a learner pretending to be an auctioneer and conducting an attempted bidding process, selling the caged pupils.

Western Cape Education Department Communication Director Bronagh Hammond said the department was aware of the video and found it disturbing.

Hammond said the school has subsequently launched an investigation into the matter, and the department was taking the allegations seriously.

She said the learners have been interviewed, and counselling provided to those affected by the incident.

Hammond said a disciplinary meeting has been scheduled for later next month.

Earlier this month Pretoria High School for Girls suspended 12 learners after a racist incident  was exposed, where on their whites-only WhatsApp group  they demeaned fellow Black learners at the school.

INSIDE EDUCATION

Edwin Naidu

Dr Nobuhle Pamela Nkabane, the new Minister of Higher Education in the Government of National Unity, is not under any illusion of the enormous task facing her.

“My vision for the higher education and training sector empowers graduates to contribute to the body of knowledge, enabling the government to make informed decisions to tackle our country’s socioeconomic challenges,” she told Inside Education.

Nkabane takes over from Dr Blade Nzimande, who was appointed Minister of Science, Technology and Innovation, with a list of priorities to fix the funding problem and tackle gender inequality, among other issues.

The lifelong learner from Mfundweni Village, a small rural town in Umzimkhulu in the Harry Gwala Region of KwaZulu-Natal, said she wants to see more women with PhDs and with extensive experience in the sector challenge the heavily male-dominated status quo by becoming vice-chancellors at institutions of higher learning.

Nkabane brings to her role a wealth of academic qualifications from various institutions of higher learning, including a PhD in Administration from the University of KwaZulu-Natal.

Her vision for the higher education sector is one of inclusivity.

She aims to make it accessible to all qualifying students, produce quality education, and effectively manage student funding and disbursements through the National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS).

As we embark on the 7th Administration, Nkabane’s immediate priorities for the Ministry of Higher Education are clear. They will be guided by ANC Manifesto priority 4, “improving education and skills”, and the Constitution’s affirmation that “Everyone has the right to further education”.

Elaborating, she added that the state, through reasonable measures, must make education “progressively available and accessible” through:

Remodelling student funding and the management of disbursement of funds (NSFAS);

Infrastructure development;

Ensuring quality education;

Transformation of the sector;

Positioning Technical Vocational Education and Training (TVET) colleges as the centre for technical skills acquisition; and

Ensuring that SETAs are practical and efficient.

“As the government, we are noting a mismatch between skills and labour market demands in the country, which requires an aggressive approach for urgent and strategic action. With effective and efficient TVET Colleges and CET Colleges that respond to the country’s skills needs and high levels of unemployment, I see the sector reshaping shortly to ensure alignment between curricula and industry needs.

“The current curriculum limits graduates’ employability and entrepreneurial potential, which then translates to a high unemployment rate and hinders the sector’s contribution to economic development in South Africa.

“Upskilling and reskilling should be another area of focus through SETA’s,” the Minister said.

Nkabane firmly believes that the tertiary sector has the research capacity to address the current challenges. She is committed to supporting and enhancing this capacity, instilling a sense of confidence and security.

The Minister said that the sector is in the first phase of implementing a comprehensive student funding model to address some of the challenges in the current funding system and that this will help reshape South Africa regarding skills output and job creation.

If all systems were adequate and efficient in the higher education and training sector, government investment in education could increase productivity and creativity and stimulate entrepreneurship.

She believes this would address the country’s triple challenges of inequality, poverty, and unemployment, resulting in economic growth and development.

“We reaffirm our commitment to access to quality education as per the Freedom Charter, which states that ‘the doors of learning and culture shall be open to all.’ We are saying the doors of learning are indeed open,” she added.

Nkabane’s commitment to learning is an inspiration.

“I attended Ibisi Primary School in a small village in Umzimkhulu; attended Ibisi High but completed in Task Force High School. My post-matric qualifications were at different institutions: Durban University of Technology, UNISA, University of Kwazulu Natal, University of Stellenbosch, and short programmes at the University of Cape Town and the University of Western Cape. I am studying towards an MSc and Masters with SOAS University of London and Wits Business School.”

The Minister cut her political teeth at a young age by joining the ANC and serving in various leadership positions within the organisation and leagues at branch, regional, and provincial levels.

Nkabane was among the leaders of the ANCYL in the then Sisonke Region, which motivated the renaming of Sisonke District Municipality to Harry Gwala District Municipality in honour of struggle stalwart Harry Gwala.

She served on the Provincial Executive Committee of the ANC, ANCWL, and ANCYL in Kwa Zulu-Natal. She also served as a Shop Steward of the South African Municipal Workers Union and was elected to the National Executive Committee at its 55th National Conference.

Asked what went through her mind when the president called to inform her about her appointment, Nkabane said: “To be honest … I had mixed feelings: both excitement and anxiety due to the magnitude of the responsibility that I have been entrusted with to execute ‘improving education and skills’.”

She says the inspirational words of President Nelson Mandela, who said, “Education is the only weapon we can use to change the world”, along with her positive thinking attitude, helped her.

“My realistic optimism helped me think and feel differently …I believe I am equal to the task.

The movement has sharpened my skills and competencies to execute the responsibility with distinction.

Obviously, by working together with both internal and external stakeholders, I believe I will lead this country to a brighter future,” she said.

INSIDE EDUCATION

Tracy Woodroffe and Khushi Chauhan

Australia has a nationwide teacher shortage. But there is a particular shortage of Aboriginal teachers. This is very worrying because we know Aboriginal teachers are desperately needed to boost learning and school outcomes for Aboriginal students.

Not only do they bring vital cultural knowledge to schools, it also means Aboriginal students are represented by those who educate them. Aboriginal teachers can use Indigenous knowledge in the classroom and build effective student-teacher relationships which are vital for learning.

To boost the overall teaching workforce in late 2023, the federal government launched a campaign to “Be That Teacher”. But we need more specific measures, designed to resonate with Aboriginal students and communities.

In a new, ongoing project, we are talking to Aboriginal high school students and teachers to understand how we can encourage more Aboriginal people to become teachers in the Northern Territory.

What are the current figures?
As of 2023, 39.3% of school students in the NT were Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander, this is the highest proportion of any state or territory. Nationally, Aboriginal students account for 6.5% of all school students.

As of 2020, there were 260 registered Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander teachers in the NT. This includes the public, private and Catholic system and represents only 4.6% of the teaching workforce.

As of June 2024, there were just 163 Aboriginal teachers, senior teachers and principals in the public system, according to the NT Department of Education.

While there are existing initiatives to encourage Aboriginal people to become teachers, such as the Remote Aboriginal Teacher Education program, clearly more can be done to increase teacher numbers.

Our project
In an ongoing project, in collaboration with the NT Department of Education, we are talking to students and teachers to ask:

how can Aboriginal people encourage and inspire each other to become teachers?

So far, we have surveyed 23 Aboriginal students and ten Aboriginal teachers across government, independent and Catholic schools. Students are in the final years of schooling and at least 16-years-old.

Do you want to be a teacher?
When asked if students would like to be a teacher when they left school, most students we surveyed responded negatively.

As one student said, “school environments are mentally damaging”. They added the best way to encourage young people to teach would be to “put them in a school that actually accepts them”.

Some of the main reasons students gave for not being interested in teaching were having other career plans, not being interested in school and their teachers’ attitudes to the profession.

Some said their teachers “don’t look enthusiastic about their job” and “always complain about it”. While it was not specified if their teachers are Aboriginal or non-Aboriginal, we know statistically, the vast majority of teachers in the NT are non-Aboriginal.

More information
Students are also telling us they want more information about what it is like to be teacher and the practicalities of the profession. As one student said, they want to be shown “how to be a teacher”.

Another respondent told us:

Sit and talk to them and ask if they are interested in becoming a teacher by explaining the benefits of helping young people.

Role models can help
A strong theme to emerge so far is the importance of role models. Students said their teachers could help them consider becoming a teacher by the way they do their jobs. This was particularly so if they portrayed the profession as one focussed on student success and passion.

One student told us students could be attracted to the profession if they were told about how teachers helped “the next generation [to] follow in elders’ footsteps”.

Students also said they needed encouragement. As one respondent told us, they are worried about being treated badly by students.

Teachers’ own experiences matter
Aboriginal teachers also emphasised the importance of role models and personal experience. They told us their experience at school, whether as a student or later working in supporting roles, was a key reason behind deciding to teach. As one teacher said:

I loved school. I was really lucky enough that I had a school and teachers that were engaging and really lovely people.

But another was also inspired by negative experiences growing up:

I wanted to be a better teacher than the ones I’d had.

They stressed how passion was integral to their work and helping students to learn. They also talked of the importance of culture – something that could be emphasised with potential new recruits. As one teacher told us:

[I am] putting my own perspective on things. Embedding Indigenous content and a different pedagogical [teaching] approach.

Another teacher told us their work also had a simple purpose: “to combat racism”.

What now?
Our research is showing the need for more accessible information for Aboriginal students on how they get into a teaching career. According to students and teachers alike there is also a need for role models to encourage Aboriginal students to take up teaching.

We will keep surveying students and teachers this year and translate our findings into materials and information for universities and schools by the end of 2024.

Tracy Woodroffe
2024 ACSES First Nations Fellow, Senior Lecturer in Indigenous Knowledges, Charles Darwin University

Khushi Chauhan
Research Associate, PhD Candidate, Charles Darwin University

This article talks primarily about Aboriginal people. Some of the data sources we accessed describe “Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander” statistics, which is why different terms have been used.

The story was first published in The Conversation.

Phuti Mosomane

Basic Education Deputy Minister Dr Reginah Mhaule said the department remains set on equipping South African learners with the skills and competencies required for the modern ever-changing workplace.

Mhaule was speaking during the Basic Education Budget Vote Debate in Parliament.

“To this end, the DBE has enhanced its curriculum with introducing Coding and Robotics; 11 new technical subjects; and intends to introduce Aviation and Aerospace, Mining Studies and Aquaponics into the curriculum,” she said.

Mhaule said the Entrepreneurship Framework is also being implemented in many schools to prepare the youth for employability to curb unemployment.

“One of the main achievements of the 6th Administration was the transfer of ECD to the DBE, as early childhood development and foundational learning is central to building basic human capabilities to ensure opportunities for all children,” Mhaule said.

The percentage of 5-year-olds attending educational institutions has increased from 40% in 2002 to almost 90%, and she added that the DBE is intending to increase participation through its mass registration drive.

According to the department, not only have more learners completed Grade 12 to obtain the National Senior Certificate (NSC), but the pass rate has also steadily increased over this period.

In addition, the number of Bachelor level passes have tripled since 2008, whilst the share from no fee schools has increased to two thirds of all Bachelor passes.

The number of NSC candidates scoring more than 60% in Mathematics and Science was achieved in 2023. The gender gap in high level Mathematics and Science achievement has been closed, with more female learners achieving, she said.

The Deputy Minister invited members to join the DBE at the Rhema Bible Church in Randburg, Gauteng Province, for the 2024 ABC Motsepe South Africa School Choir Eisteddfod (ABC Motsepe SASCE) National Championships taking place from 7 to 10 August 2024.

“The ABC Motsepe SASCE is one of the most prestigious events in the annual school calendar. It is part of our broader strategy for building social cohesion and promoting unity in diversity as envisaged in the Constitution of democratic South Africa.

“The Eisteddfod is a lever for delivering key messages to young people on current challenges and threats facing the country, Africa and the world, like the scourge of drug and alcohol abuse, teen pregnancy, bullying and other social ills,” she said.

The ABC Motsepe SASCE offers a new addition to the Folklore Category in 2024; all primary schools are required to perform Sepedi as a prescribed compulsory culture for 3 minutes and any African folklore from the diverse cultures of the province (maximum 3 minutes).

Secondary schools are required to perform isiNdebele as a prescribed compulsory culture for 3 minutes and any African folklore from the diverse cultures of the province (maximum 3 minutes).

For the first time in the history of SASCE, the Secondary School Western piece will, this year, be accompanied by an orchestra.

INSIDE EDUCATION