Concerns grow as over 7,000 Grade R teachers fail to meet qualification standards
Thousands of Grade R practitioners are working in classrooms without the minimum NQF Level 6 qualification, according to a departmental audit.
Image: File
The Department of Basic Education has announced that over 7,000 unqualified Grade R teachers are employed in public schools across South Africa's nine provinces.
Of these 7,294 unqualified practitioners, only 2,121 are eligible for qualification upgrades, raising significant concerns about educational standards.
These practitioners do not possess the minimum National Qualifications Framework (NQF) Level 6 qualification required to teach at this level.
The figures were presented to the Portfolio Committee on Basic Education on Tuesday during a briefing on the status of regulations to the Basic Education Laws Amendment (BELA) Act as they relate to Grade R admissions.
The briefing also included updates on Sections 4 and 5 of the Children’s Amendment Bill of 2025.
In August, the Minister of Basic Education, Siviwe Gwarube, gazetted the first two sets of regulations under the BELA Act, 2024, for public comment.
Chief Director for the department of Basic Education, Enoch Rabotapi provided an update on the upgrading of qualifications for Grade R practitioners, emphasising that the BELA Act formally incorporates Grade R into basic education.
This means Grade R teachers must now hold qualifications equivalent to those of other educators.
Rabotapi said: “This process is meant to ensure that those already in the system but lacking the entry-level qualifications are supported to achieve them.”
He explained that the department first consulted with labour unions through the Education Labour Relations Council (ELRC), leading to the adoption of Collective Agreement 2 of 2025.
The agreement outlines measures for upgrading the qualifications of practitioners currently employed in schools.
He said the department has partnered with UNISA to facilitate the upgrading programme. UNISA was chosen for its distance-learning model, which allows practitioners to work while studying, and for its affordability.
Rabotapi said the ETDP SETA has also committed R66 million for the upgrading process during the current financial year.
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