education in south africa key to the future mr. chris wood economics instructor 2008 study tour...
TRANSCRIPT
Education in South Africa
Key to the Future
Mr. Chris WoodEconomics Instructor
2008 Study Tour Participant
Some information taken froma presentation by
Mr. Mafu Rakometsi, Superintendent General,
Free State Department of Education; and
Dr. R. Cassius Lubisi, Superintendent General, KZN
Department of Education, NCEE Annual Conference 2007
South African Education Stats• 27,000 public schools• 365,000 teachers• 12 million pupils in public
schools• 50 multi-campus FET (vocational)
colleges• 22 multi-campus universities• 650,000 university students
South African Education in Brief
General Challenges• School physical infrastructure
backlogs• Shortage of qualified teachers
in gateway subjects• Poor subject content
knowledge among many teachers
• Inadequate access to textbooks and other learning materials
Context of the SA Economy
Historical legacy• Apartheid racial division of
labor.• Implementers were
alienated from the means of production.
• Result: a generally weak base of economic understanding among the country’s population
South African Education
• Dual governance of primary and secondary education (national and provincial); higher education/teacher education is solely national.
• National government determines national policy, norms and standards (including national curriculum).
• Provinces are the primary implementing agents, run schools and employ teachers.
Map of South African Education
Higher Education(NQF Levels 5-10)
Bachelors, Masters and Doctoral Degrees, etc
Universities
Further Education and Training(NQF Levels 2-4)
Grades 10-12 Secondary Schools(grades 8-12)
General Education and Training(NQF Level 1)
Senior Phase(grades 7-9) Primary
Schools(grades R-7)Intermediate
Phase(grades 4-6)
Foundation Phase(grades R-3)
Economic Education in the Curriculum
General Education and Training (GET)
• In grades R-9, part of Economic and Management Sciences (EMS) Learning Area.
• 50%+ of EMS curriculum contains economics.
• EMS compulsory for grades R – 9
• Previously there was no economic education in the lower classes.
Further Education and Training (FET)
• In grades 10-12, Economics is offered as free-standing elective subject in the National Senior Certificate.
Economic Education in the Curriculum (continued
)
Teacher Preparation
• Initial Professional Education of Teachers (IPET) done at universities.
• Economics teachers must study the discipline of Economics and also pedagogy.
• Primary school teachers have a less rigorous training in the discipline of economics.
• Continuing Professional Development (CPD)–Bulk of teacher
development endeavors are in CPD.–Some teachers enroll in
universities on their own to improve themselves.–New national and
provincial departments of education CPD programs
Teacher Preparation(continued)
Challenges Facing Teachers
A.Inadequate Training in the Discipline
• Many teachers that teach Economics in grades R-9 have not been adequately trained in Economics.
• Teacher often teaching subject matter based on a three to five day orientation program.
B. Challenges of Active Learning
• Teaching Economics in a practical and creative manner is difficult.
• Promotion of active learning requires a paradigm shift for many of the teachers.
• Large classes compromise the possibility of active learning.
Challenges Facing Teachers(continued)
C. Textbook Challenges• Not all learners have
textbooks, making the role of the teacher more difficult.
• Many of the available textbooks do not provide adequate guidance for those teachers for whom economics is not a specialization.
Challenges Facing Teachers(continued)
Credits
Other pictures an information can be seen on my website www.cwoodecon.com