DA proposal for improving teaching standards

Yesterday during a meeting of the portfolio committee on basic education, Basic Education Department Acting Director-General Bobby Soobrayan identified the fact that many teachers cannot pass the tests that are set for their learners as the main reason for the continuing slide in matric pass rates.

The DA agrees with this. If we are to give a better education to our children, teachers must be required to build up their own knowledge of the subjects that they teach so that they are capable of passing it on to their learners.

While there are many good, hard-working teachers in South Africa there are many who do not live up to the standards required. For too many years the government has ignored this problem, and we welcome the frank acknowledgement of it in the committee meeting yesterday.

The DA will be forwarding a proposal to do this to the Minister of Basic Education for her consideration. The core of our proposal is as follows:

• All teachers should be asked to write standardised knowledge assessments in the subjects they teach. Until they do so, teachers should not receive any salary increases, promotions, transfers or salary notch advances.
• Those who fail should have the opportunity to rewrite the tests at their own expense, but will similarly receive no benefit improvements until they pass.
• All teachers who have failed their tests should be given access to subject coaches who will help them improve their learning methods and develop their skills to the point where they are able to pass their assessments.
• Teachers must be given a defined timeframe within which to pass these tests, and if they do not pass within this time they must face dismissal.

All newly appointed teachers must write these evaluations, and no new appointments should be confirmed until the tests are passed.

Clearly, the priority in conducting these assessments must be the weaker schools. The DA therefore believes that the process of testing teachers must begin with those schools with a pass rate of 60% or less.

Statement issued by Junita Kloppers-Lourens, Democratic Alliance shadow minister of basic education, February 4 2010

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