CAPE TOWN - The Department of Basic Education will fund 7,000 Grade R practitioners to obtain teaching qualifications and become fully qualified educators.
Minister Siviwe Gwarube says the department has secured funding through the Construction Education and Training Authority (CETA) to support the practitioners through the University of South Africa (Unisa).
Going forward, Grade R teachers will be required to hold a Bachelor of Education (BEd) degree.
“What that does is that it sends a message that it’s not your weakest teachers that must be teaching in the foundation phase. Foundation phase teaching is a specialty, you must know what you are doing,” Gwarube said.
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Gwarube said it was encouraging that the programme would produce fully qualified graduates, rather than practitioners who would ordinarily only receive a stipend.
“That also speaks to our focus on the foundation phase, but there is still more work to be done in that regard,” Gwarube added.
The minister said the department will also prioritise ensuring every district has a facility for inclusive education.
“Some of the tough choices I had to make at the end of last year when we made budget cuts was for me to say, we’re going to protect school nutrition and the grants that look after children with special needs. It’s a fundamental right. Those are the most vulnerable,” she said.