SACE Research Reports

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2014

SACE RESEARCH SEMINAR PRESENTATIONS- 28 OCTOBER 2014

2013

The status of the CPTD Management System- A report based on the Pilot (2009-2011)

2012

The analysis flows from the work done in past financial year in terms of data capturing and analysis. A final report has been produced in 2012 financial year and disseminated to various stakeholders. The analysis focuses on the data regarding misconduct cases reported to SACE in 2008 and 2009. However, in accordance with SACE’s new strategic plan, the research looks beyond the data to comparable situations in other countries and the wider work of SACE as a professional body. The main findings from the analysis are that most of the cases reported to SACE come from Gauteng, KwaZulu-Natal and the Western Cape, provinces with major metropolitan areas. Although the Eastern Cape has the second largest number of educators in the country, the province has among the fewest reported cases of misconduct. Males are more likely to be accused of misconduct than females and the largest proportion of offenders is between the ages of 35 and 54 years.

 Furthermore, the report reveals that the largest number of cases before SACE was lodged by the provincial education departments and the largest proportion of cases involved professional misconduct, followed by assault. Over the two years the number of sexual cases increased. These include rape allegations, harassment and inappropriate relationships with learners. There was a substantial improvement in the turn-around time of cases from 2008 to 2009. However, a substantial number of cases still remained unresolved at the time of writing. Written advisory or cautionary notices to offenders were the most common result in finalised cases, while in 14% of cases; the offenders were struck off the roll, either indefinitely or, more often, conditionally for a period of time.

SACE worked with the Centre of Study of Violence and Reconciliation (CSVR) on the effect of school-based violence study, with special focus on teachers and a report has been produced in November 2011. The study has shown that negative impact of school-based violence on learners/children is well documented nationally and internationally. On the other hand, the research has clearly shown that there is a lack of focus on the impact of high levels of violence on educators and how they are able to cope. This is also confirmed by the clear gap in literature on the issue of school violence pertaining to teacher’s experiences. The research conducted in 2008 on coloured teachers experiences revealed that what emerged are instances in which violence was directed at teachers in the form of physical force. The research found that teachers tend to experience a range of emotional reactions in response to learners’ violent actions. These reactions ranged from a sense of guilt that the participant’s actions were contributing to violence to negative feelings towards learners. Other possible outcomes include a decrease in the number of people being interested in becoming teachers, high levels of burnout as well as the decision to resign from the profession. Some teachers also presented with high levels of stress and depression within an unsupportive system. 

In the light of this, there is a need for further research in the area of school-based violence. Specifically, there is a need for research, which explores the experiences of teachers and their perceptions of school-based violence and ways in which this problem could be prevented. In so doing, this will provide teachers with support, which will hopefully counteract violent attacks and minimize the negative effects of being exposed to violence at school. This is the major gap in the existing literature that few studies have been conducted on teachers. Such studies hopefully will provide a new perspective on this problem

2011

As indicated earlier on, SACE engaged in a process of redefining its role, scope and functions. Part of this process involved developing a position paper that aims to critically analyze SACE’s existing role, scope, and functions in the teaching profession. This analysis will assist in redefining SACE’s role and proposing various ways in which the current role could be tightened up and strengthened for purposes of delivering on its mandate effectively The analysis was done broadly in terms of SACE’s three key mandates – professional registration, professional development, and adhering to the code of professional ethics. This was done to also assist in informing the broader SACE vision and the direction that the organization should take and the areas where it should spend its resources. It is also vital to note that part of the analysis process included research and some comparisons between SACE and the twelve (12) international teaching councils (in Africa, Australia, Canada, UK, and New Zealand) and between SACE and the three national professional councils outside the education sector or teaching profession (South African Council for Social Services, Health Professions Council of South Africa, and Engineering Council of South Africa)

SACE has developed an advice to the Minister of Higher Education on the professional registration of Further Education and Training Lectures. This advice has been developed in the context of the Basic Education Laws Amendment Act (2011) and Higher Education Laws Amendment Bill (2010) which limit, to a certain extent, the scope of SACE to the schooling sector only. The advice was sent to the Minister of Higher Education and Training and the relevant branches in the Department.

The small scale teacher migration research focused on teachers migrating in and out of South Africa. The research findings and recommendations were used by SACE to provide advice to the Minister of Higher Education and training on teacher supply and demand issues and to the Minister of Basic Education on employment issues. In addition, the initial findings are showing that there is lack of statistics and information on teacher migration issues, especially on internal migration. Therefore, various national organisations, government departments and statutory bodies dealing with movement of people and teachers in particular will be forwarded the report so that they could be able to work on the issues raised.

2010

The report reviews selected research on teacher demand and supply, both internationally and in South Africa.  It is not an exhaustive review of all the literature but key literature is reviewed to understand what the challenges are in planning for teacher demand and supply.  Through this review the possible role of SACE is also explored in tackling issues of demand and supply. The report suggests five areas of research focus for SACE as follows:

  • SACE with other stakeholders will have to develop key teacher quality indicators.  These should go beyond overall qualification, and specialization and other measures that indicate teacher quality;
  • Since SACE is the professional body, the impact of teacher credentials it approves has to be analyzed.  Which credentials, from which institutions are more likely to be employed by which province, school.  The training that higher institutions provide continues not to be critiqued by independent bodies, and SACE is in a good position to start analyzing the content of higher education institutions.  Are these institutions producing and attracting the kind of teachers the South African education system needs;
  • SACE is concerned with teacher professionalism, it is therefore important that SACE analyses teacher attitudes about the many teacher development processes taking place.  That is an analysis of the value teachers attach to different development strategies and courses and which are not relevant.   Included in this is which programs in institutions of learning make a difference in the quality of educators;
  • SACE will also have to track the professions that are competing with teaching.  That what professions do individuals with teaching qualifications end up in.  An analysis of these is more likely to give reasons why teachers are attracted into these besides salary in these professions.  Similarly, SACE will have to track the difference between individuals who register with SACE but do not enter formal teaching.  These form of analysis function to understand the pool of teachers; and SACE will have to analyze the quality of individuals entering for the first time into teaching

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