Page 41 - Silver Lakes February Issue 2023

EDUCATION

It is important to ensure that the chosen
qualification is structured in accordance with the
Department of Higher Education and Training’s
(DHET’s) minimum requirements for teacher
education qualifications (2015) or the DHET’s
policy on minimum requirements for programmes
leading to qualifications in higher education for
early childhood development educators (2017).

Also of great importance is to ensure that the
chosen curriculum incorporates teaching theory
and work-integrated learning components.

“These critical components expose students to
diverse educational settings, which ensure that
they develop the practical skills essential for
excellence in teaching. An institution offering
Initial Teacher Education qualifications should
have a network of schools in their area of
operation that gives the students access to
differently resourced schools, where they can get
practical experience,” notes Mokotjo.

Further, in order to access work-integrated
learning in schools, students would need to
present a valid Police Clearance Certificate and
register with the SA Council for Educators (SACE)
in their final year.

Depending on the specific qualification, education
students’ curricula will likely include the following
subjects: Languages, Natural Science and
Technology, Mathematics and Social Sciences,
Psychology for Educators, Professional Ethics,
Assessment and Measurement, Educational
Management and Research.

“A quality teaching degree from a reputable
higher education institution opens the door
to a rewarding, interesting, and varied career
trajectory – provided, of course, that the student
is invested in lifelong learning and is continuously
improving their skills to ensure that they can
prepare learners to establish careers that will lead
to a prosperous future,” Mokotjo says.

“There is currently a significant and growing need
for a dynamic pipeline of professional teachers,
who are able to bring enthusiasm and innovation
not just to the classroom, but to the education
profession as a whole. Whereas previously
education was perhaps not always a career of first
choice for many, the field has now evolved and
truly come into its own, with new and exciting
opportunities for ambitious young people.”

INTRAMUROS FEBRUARY 2023 | 39