NATIONAL ASSEMBLY

FOR ORAL REPLY

QUESTION 376

DATE OF PUBLICATION OF INTERNAL QUESTION PAPER: 04/11/2014

(INTERNAL QUESTION PAPER: 24/2014)

376. Ms A T Lovemore (DA) to ask the Minister of Basic Education:

Whether she intends to introduce competency tests for teachers as a prerequisite for ‎(a) entry to the profession and (b) promotion within the profession; if not, why not; if so, (i) when and (ii) what are the further relevant details? NO2850E

RESPONSE:

a) No.

(i) The appointment of teachers in Post Levels 1 - 4 is done in terms of the Personnel Administrative Measures (PAM). Chapter B paragraph 2.2 of the PAM stipulates that the minimum requirement for the appointment of an educator is a recognised three year qualification (REQV13) which must include appropriate training as a teacher, in order to qualify for appointment.  No experience is required for appointment to posts at Post Level 1.

My Department, working together with the Department of Higher Education and Training (DHET), the South African Council of Educators (SACE), the Education Labour Relation Council (ELRC) and through the Provincial Departments of Education and guided by the National Teacher Education and Development Committee (NTEDC), is implementing the Integrated Strategic Planning Framework for Teacher Education and Development in South Africa, a plan that is a product of the Teacher Education Summit of July 2009. 

The primary outcome of the Plan is to improve the quality of teacher education and development in order to improve the quality of teachers and teaching.  In the plan, as proposed and agreed with all the teacher education stakeholders, among the activities that are led by my Department are the development and delivery of teacher orientation programmes for new and foreign teachers, and for teachers assuming school leadership and management promotion posts. 

(ii) The orientation and the comprehensive induction programmes are meant to support teachers and have no high stakes assessment elements built into them. These programmes have been conceptualised and are currently being developed

b) Yes, I intend to introduce competency tests for promotion within the profession.

(i) The plan is to introduce competency test for promotion purposes during the 2015/16 financial year, after consultation with all the relevant stakeholders.

In order to be appointed in a promotion post, according to PAM, an educator must comply with all the minimum requirements in respect of qualifications and experience applicable to the particular post.  Qualifications may vary depending on the phase/subject/s requirements for the promotion post. The minimum requirements in respect of experience for appointment to promotion posts are as follows:

(ii) On 07 August 2014, the Minister called for public comment in a National Government Gazette 37897 Vol 590, on the South African Standard for Principalship. The Standard for Principalship will be promulgated as policy during the first quarter of 2015. Its purpose, among others, is to lay the foundation for the development of new measures for the appointment of teachers to promotional positions and the development of competency tests for such positions.

Draft measures for the appointment of teachers on promotional posts have already been developed and are currently being discussed at various levels of the sector.  Public comments have been received and I have set up a multi-disciplinary team to consolidate the comments leading to the finalisation of the policy on the South African Standards for Principalship.

The PAM is currently under review at the Education Labour Relations Council (ELRC).  Any proposed amendments to the requirements for appointment of teachers entering the profession and those who are promoted within the profession will be discussed with the teacher unions at the ELRC.

Issued by Parliament, November 13 2014

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