Teachers unions – National Professional Teachers’ Organisation of South Africa (Naptosa) and South African Democratic Teachers Union (Sadtu) – in the Free State have expressed concern over the shortage of foundation phase teachers.
The splitting of Matla Primary School in Bloemfontein has put the spotlight on the shortage of foundation phase teachers in the province.
Earlier this year, the school was divided into two due to the influx of learners.
National Professional Teachers’ Organisation of South Africa (Naptosa) Free State CEO Ramakhera Dikotsi says, ”The recent discussion on the shortage of educators in the foundation phase has always been a concern to Naptosa Free State, we believe this is a critical stage in the learning curve of learners and it does not need enough educators but it needs very good educators who can impart knowledge in the correct way…”
“We are worried that schools have been using any available educator in this phase which affects the learning of learners. We believe that educators are not in front of the class to keep learners busy but to teach them and to teach them perfectly,” Dikotsi says.
The Education Department in the Free State has however refuted claims that there’s a shortage of foundation phase teachers in the province.
Parents up in arms over overcrowding and shortage of teachers at Matla Primary School in Free State:
Spokesperson Howard Ndaba says the challenges at Matla primary school in Bloemfontein were unique after splitting the school.
Ndaba says the department has allocated teachers at both Matla one and Matla two which was established earlier this year due to the high number of learners.
“As far as we know learning is taking place as it is supposed to be. The only challenge is that parents do not have confidence in that school because it is still mobile and there’s an intention to build the school. So we want to encourage parents to have confidence in us. and take their children to that school,” Ndaba says.
