Portfolio Committee on Basic Education 03 November 2015

1. Departments of Basic Education and Higher Education and Training as well as the Education Deans Forum Measures taken to improve Initial Teacher Education Portfolio Committee on Basic Education 03 November 2015

2. Purpose To brief the joint Portfolio Committees of Basic Education and Higher Education and Training with a report on the measures taken to improve Initial Teacher Education. 2

3. The Formal Teacher Education Landscape • Teacher education is a national competence, funded and regulated through the Department of Higher Education and Training (DHET). • Teacher education can only be offered by accredited Higher Education Institutions (HEIs). • Teaching is a graduate career with two pathways: • Bachelor of Education degree (National Qualification Framework [NQF] exit level 7; 480 credits; 4-years full-time); and • Appropriate undergraduate degree or diploma followed by a Post-Graduate Certificate in Education (PGCE) [NQF exit level 7; 120 credits; 1-year full-time] 3

4. The Formal Teacher Education Landscape • Teachers can specialise as Foundation Phase Teachers; Intermediate Phase teachers, Senior Phase/FET teachers. • 23 public universities offer Initial Teacher Education (ITE). The exceptions are Vaal University of Technology; Mangosuthu University of Technology and the Sefako Makgatho Health Sciences University. • Increased private HEI involvement in ITE • The Council on Higher Education (CHE) is the main custodian of quality in higher education, including teacher education. 4

5. Private HEIs Involved in Initial Teacher Education • Akademie Reformatoriese Opleding en Studies (AROS) • Afrikaanse Protestante Akademie • Centre for Creative Education • City Varsity • Cornerstone Christian College • Damelin • Embury Institute for Teacher Education • Helderburg College • Lyceum College • Management College of Southern Africa (MANCOSA) • Midrand Graduate Institute • SANTS Private Higher Education Institution • The Independent Institute of Education 5

6. The Roles of DHET, DBE, EDF in Teacher Education • Whilst different Departments and structures play a leadership role with respect to specific functions, there is collaboration between structures on all the functions. • The DHET leads on the following: • Funding teacher education. • The development of policies on teacher education qualifications. • Support and monitoring of the implementation of policies. • Supporting capacity development at universities. 6

7. The Roles of DHET, DBE, EDF in Teacher Education • The DBE leads on the following: • Understanding and planning for teacher demand and supply. • Advocacy and recruitment. • Funza Lushaka bursary programme. • Teacher utilisation and placement. • New teacher induction programmes. • The Education Deans Forum (EDF) is a sub-structure of the Universities South Africa (USAf) and its role is to: • Identify challenges in the education system and discuss ways in which to address these. • Sharing of good practice. • Promote dialogue and engagement with policy makers and relevant research. 7

8. Strengthening Initial Teacher Education …….is an on-going process that has been unfolding with more focus and intensity since 2007, through a range of policy, planning and programme initiatives, and in direct response to issues highlighted by the Ministerial Task Team on teacher education and by the 2007 CHE review of teacher education programmes, and in the 2009 Teacher Development Summit, which are themselves part of the process to strengthen and improve the quality of teacher education. 8

9. Quality in Initial Teacher Education • Quality in ITE is promoted through: • Policy • Oversight • Collaboration • Infrastructure development • Dialogue and community building • Research • Programmes 9

10. Improving Teacher Education Quality through Policy • The Policy on Minimum Requirements for Teacher Education Qualifications (MRTEQ) is an important response to the issue of teacher education quality. • MRTEQ sets minimum standards for initial teacher education qualifications. • It requires that all ITE programmes must be strongly focussed on developing teacher knowledge and practice. • It puts specific requirements in place for the teaching practice components of ITE programmes. • All universities are required to develop new programmes that comply with the policy 10

11. Improving Teacher Education Quality through Oversight • Several evaluation processes: • Evaluation by the Teacher Education Programme Evaluation Committee (TEPEC) which is convened by DHET with a representation from DBE, the South African Council for Educators (SACE) and the Education, Training and Development Practices Sector Education and Training Authority (ETDP SETA) • Evaluation for inclusion on the Programme Qualification Mix (PQM) • HEQC evaluation for accreditation by CHE • Application to South African Qualifications Authority (SAQA) for registration on the NQF 11

12. Improving Teacher Education Quality through Oversight • Quality concerns with respect to delivery and outcomes referred to CHE for investigation. CHE has the mandate for quality assurance in HE and we all have recourse to report quality concerns to it. • What should the role of SACE be in quality promotion for teacher education? 12

13. Improving Teacher Education Quality through Collaboration • National Teacher Education Development Committee (NTEDC): • The establishment of the NTEDC is a requirement of the Integrated Strategic Planning Framework for Teacher Education and Development (ISPFTED) under Output 4; and • Its purpose is to ensure that a coherent and coordinated approach is taken to the planning for and delivery of teacher education programmes in the country in ways that are aligned to national teacher education needs, that are sustainable and lead to stability and quality in the system 13

14. Improving Teacher Education Quality through Collaboration • Provincial Teacher Education Development Committees (PTEDC): • Function to ensure a coherent and coordinated approach is taken to the planning for and delivery of teacher education programmes in the provinces in ways that are aligned to provincial and national teacher education needs, that are sustainable and that lead to stability and quality in the system. • Education Deans Forum (EDF): • Meets on a quarterly basis to share knowledge and information as well as to network and foster collaboration amongst HEIs and other stakeholders in the higher and basic education sectors; and • DBE and DHET are active participants in the EDF. 14

15. Improving Teacher Education Quality through Better Infrastructure

16. Improving Teacher Education Quality through national Dialogue and Community Building Events • 2009 teacher development summit • 2012 teacher education conference • 2014 colloquium on the teaching practice component of initial teacher education programmes • 2014 symposium on academic depth and rigour in initial teacher education • 2015 colloquium on teaching practice and teacher professionalism 16

17. Improving Teacher Education Quality through Research • Initial Teacher Education Research Project (ITERP) • Partnership between JET, EDF, DHET and DBE to generate information to inform the debate about the quality of ITE among the most important stakeholders in the sector. • The project consists of four components: • Content of teacher education programmes at 5 HEIs (Research completed); • Case studies of NQTs in first two years of teaching (Ongoing); • Survey of all final year (BEd and PGCE) students in 2013, tracking them into the workplace for 2 years (Ongoing); and • Dissemination and recommendations for ITE in the Intermediate Phase (Findings presented). 17

18. Improving teacher education quality through Research • Impact on policy (MRTEQ): • All IP student teachers will be required to include a substantial maths component in their BEd programmes; and • The language requirements, both for English First Additional Language (FAL) and another SA languages, have been strengthened. • Impact on practice: • Communities of practice (COPs) for Primary Mathematics and Primary Literacy being established which will have a role in developing professional standards for these areas of teacher education 18

19. Improving Teacher Education Quality through Research • Research Report on Establishing Professional Practice Schools in South Africa by Prof M Robinson (completed) • Research Report on Establishing Teaching Schools in South Africa by Prof S Gravett (completed) • Enhancing teacher professionalisation • Role of SACE in enhancing teacher professionalisation. • Research on teacher induction programmes • The Centre for Development and Enterprise (CDE) is currently undertaking policy research on Teacher Induction funded by the Zenex Foundation. • Research on teacher supply and demand (Reports published by DHET, CDE, and University of Stellenbosch) • Validation of the Commonwealth Standards for teachers and school leaders by JET Education Services. 19

20. Research on initial teacher education • Research on the establishment of professional practice schools • Research on the establishment of teaching schools • Development of a supply-demand model for teacher education • Enhanced system competency to evaluate teacher education qualifications Teacher Education Primary Teacher Education • Establishment of the South African Research Association for Early Childhood Education • Establishment of the South African Journal of Childhood Education • Establishment of new teacher education campuses • Involvement of additional universities in Foundation Phase teacher education to enable increased enrolments and additional teachers for this phase • Research, Programme Development and Materials Development projects at universities • Bursaries for African language B Ed Foundation Phase students • Foundation Phase Programmes that are able to develop African language Foundation Phase teachers. Foundation Phase Teacher Education Improving teacher education quality through Programmes

21. Achievements of the Strengthening Foundation Phase Teacher Education Programme • The number of universities involved in Foundation Phase (FP) teacher education has grown from 13 to 21 universities. The 21 universities have been involved in a range of research, programme development and material development projects ---new teacher education programmes that will prepare FP mother tongue teachers in all SA languages. • The headcount enrolments in initial teacher education FP programmes has grown from 10 073 students in 2009 to 18 260 in 2012. • 28 journal articles have been published in peer-reviewed journals so far. • The programme supported the seed employment of 24 new childhood education academics at universities. 21

22. Achievements of the Strengthening Foundation Phase Teacher Education Programme • Scholarship support is provided for 7 Honours students, 54 M Ed students and 40 PhD students. • 200 African language Bachelor of Education students are supported with full cost bursaries. • Establishment of the South African Journal of Childhood Education. • Establishment of the South African Research Association for Early Childhood Education (ECD). • Establishment of the University of Mpumalanga, Siyabuswa Teacher Education Campus and a Centre for African Language Teaching on the Campus. 22

23. Funza Lushaka Bursary Programme • The Funza Lushaka bursary programme has made a considerable contribution by: • Improving the attractiveness of teaching as a choice. • The merit-based criteria for awarding the bursary has contributed to a higher calibre of students entering initial teacher education programmes. • A recent evaluation of the Funza Lushaka bursary programme indicates that the throughput of Funza Lushaka students is higher than non-bursary holders 23

24. Funza Lushaka Bursary Programme 24

25. Funza Lushaka Bursary Programme • Number of bursaries awarded in 2015: • Value of the Funza Lushaka bursary fund in 2015: R991, 084, 000 25

26. Funza Lushaka Bursary Programme • Phase specialisation and year of study of the Funza Lushaka bursary holders in 2015: • Analysis of the consolidated lists of new applicants and re-applicants for Funza Lushaka bursars from the 24 universities offering initial teacher education programs shows that 2 576 students are currently in their first year while 4 616 students are in their fourth year of study. • Risk: • The Funza Lushaka bursary has to maintain a larger number of existing students while fewer bursaries are available for new applicants 26

27. Funza Lushaka Bursary Programme 27

28. Funza Lushaka Bursary Programme • FET Subject Specialisations of 2014 Funza Lushaka Graduates: 28

29. Funza Lushaka Bursary Programme • 2014 Foundation Phase graduates by home language: 29

30. Next Steps in Improving Teacher Education and Quality • Professional standards for teachers and school leaders. • Investments in Initial Teacher Education programmes to strengthen teacher practice and enhance the quality of new teacher graduate output. • Induction Programmes for new teachers (including better recruitment). • Evaluation of teachers and school leaders. • Quality Continuous Professional Development programmes. 30

31. Introducing the Teaching and Learning Development Capacity Improvement Programme (2015-2020) 4 MAIN THRUSTS CROSS-CUTTING PROJECT AND ACTIVITY FOCUS AREAS ENHANCED TEACHER EDUCATION SYSTEM CAPACITY AND QUALITY Policy, Regulation, Standards Programme Development Course & Material Development TVET and CET college lecturer education Primary teacher education ECD educator development Inclusive and special needs teacher education Practice Teaching (WIL) Advocacy Research COLLABORATION AND PARTNERSHIPS (through developing/drawing on communities of practice and relevant civil society organisations

32. Strengthening University Capacity for ECD Educator Development: Indicative Activities 32

33. Strengthening University Capacity for Primary Teacher Education 33

34. Strengthening University Capacity for Primary Teacher Education 34

35. Strengthening University Capacity for Inclusive and Special Needs Teacher Education 35

36. Further Research to be Supported through the TLDCIP (to inform further planning and interventions) 36

37. Further Research to be Supported through the TLDCIP (to inform further planning and interventions)

38. Thank You