The Institute for Race Relations (IRR) says in a statement it fully supports the call for a review of teacher training in SA made by DA’s Shadow Minister of Basic Education, Gavin Davis.
Davis says in a presentation to Parliament based on the 2013 Southern and Eastern Africa Consortium for Monitoring Educational Quality report report that:
• For reading, the average score achieved by Grade 6 teachers dropped from a score of 758 in the 2007 study to 672 in the 2013 study.
• For mathematics, the average score achieved by Grade 6 teachers dropped from a score of 764 in the 2007 study to 757 in the 2013 study.
• Only 32.9% of Grade 6 teachers in the 2013 study demonstrated “critical reading” skills compared to 77.8% in the 2007 study.
• 34.7% of Gr.6 pupils are below the required level for reading.
• 54.6% of Gr. 6 pupils are below the required level for mathematics.
The IRR’s Head of Research Thuthukani Ndebele said that, “poor levels of performance in the school system condemn young generations of South Africans to unemployment, poverty, and dependency. A report to be published early next year shows that overall levels of achievement in the school system are low. Various problems ranging from dropout rates, to the absence of sufficient resources, and poor management exist. Not much is known about the extent to which the quality of teaching is responsible for poor outcomes. Therefore, an investigation into teacher training and development would be a good start”.
