Development
26 April 2007
The Minister of Education, Naledi Pandor MP, today announced the release of
the National Policy Framework for Teacher Education and Development.
"This is a welcome event," said the Minister, "and its work well done by all
stakeholders. It is a beautiful coincidence that the document is ready for
publication as we prepare to celebrate 13 years of South African
democracy."
"No one has a greater role in promoting and safeguarding that democracy than
our 390 000 teachers," said Minister Pandor. "I salute them with this document
and dedicate it to them and their successors."
The Policy Framework for Teacher Education and Development provides a clear
and coherent policy for the recruitment, professional preparation and
continuing professional development of teachers.
It is the first comprehensive official statement on the subject in South
Africa's history, and takes its place as one of the most significant policy
documents issued teacher education since 1994.
In June 2005 the Ministerial Committee on Teacher Education, chaired by
Professor Wally Morrow, delivered its report to the Minister after two years of
research and consultation.
The Minister published a draft of the present policy framework for
consultation in October 2006.
There have been extensive consultations with important role-players and
stakeholders including the Council of Education Ministers (CEM), the Heads of
Education Committee (HEDCOM), the South African Council for Educators (SACE),
national teachers' unions, higher education institutions and non-governmental
organisations (NGOs) working in teacher education.
The Ministerial Committee envisaged a policy framework "to provide
coherence, direction and focus to the development of a vibrant and affordable
teacher education system for South Africa; a system that will develop and
nurture professional teachers as one key component in the qualitative
transformation of our education system."
"Today we have delivered such a framework. We thank all who have contributed
to the government's thinking on the great work of teacher education and
development," said the Minister.
"From today we are focused on the steady, systematic path of implementation,
to ensure that 21st century South African learners have the competent,
committed, imaginative teaching professionals they both need and deserve."
The Policy Framework will bring clarity and coherence to the complex matrix
of teacher education and development activities so that teacher quality can be
dramatically enhanced in the coming years.
It makes provision for initial professional education for teachers and
continuing professional teacher development. It clearly depicts a move towards
an integrated model of teacher training in our institutions.
The continuing professional development system will offer challenging
opportunities for teachers to improve their professional abilities and raise
learning standards in our classrooms. The system makes provision for the
implementation of a point system whereby teachers will be able to take
responsibility for their own professional development.
This new professional development points system is consistent with practices
in many other professions, such as health and engineering, here and abroad.
The professional development of teachers enables teachers to develop further
expertise in subject content, teaching strategies, uses of technologies, and
other essential elements in teaching to high standards.
The professional development of teachers is evaluated ultimately on the
basis of its impact on teacher effectiveness and student learning.
The document is available on the Department of Education's website http://www.education.gov.za. It will also be
gazetted for public comment within the next week.
For further information, please contact:
Lunga Ngqengelele
Ministerial Spokesperson
Tel: 012 312 5538
Cell: 082 566 0446
E-mail: ngqengelele.l@doe.gov.za
Issued by: Department of Education
26 April 2007
