A review of strategies to address the shortage of science and mathematics educators in grades 10-12
Year: 2014
Type: dissertation
Abstract: For an education system to function effectively it is important that its planning \nfunctions are executed effectively and efficiently. Among others this implies that the \nsystem must know what the teacher supply and demand is and how it will change in \ntime. If the teacher supply and demand is known it could result in sound intervention \nstrategies being developed and implemented. Education planners will be able to plan \nfor the number of bursaries to be awarded and in which subject fields; it will be known \nhow many foreign teachers to employ and for which subjects. This is the basic \nrationale that underpins this study. This study explored the problem of teacher \ndemand and supply in the Further Education and Training (FET) phase \n(Grades 10 to 12) in South Africa and offers a critical analysis of strategies adopted \nby Provincial Education Departments in an endeavour to diminish the demand for \nteachers, specifically for Mathematics and Science, in rural and poor schools. \nInitially the study involved a secondary data analysis to extrapolate the demand and \nsupply of teachers in Mathematics and Science over the next ten years. The first key \nfinding of the study was that the data needed for such an analysis does not exist in \nany reliable form that would facilitate the development of such a projection. What the \nstudy had to rely on was anecdotal evidence that suggests that a shortage of \nMathematics and Science teachers does exist and that posts are often filled by \nunqualified and under-qualified staff. \nIn the second phase of the research in which the study explored the effectiveness of \nstrategies developed to address the shortage of Mathematics and Science teachers, \na qualitative research approach was adopted within a descriptive interpretive design. \nThe views and opinions of human resource managers responsible for post \nprovisioning in schools were explored through in-depth interviews to understand the \ntypes of strategy adopted by the provinces, their potential to alleviate the problem of \nMathematics and Science teacher shortage in Grades 10 to 12, their success, \nchallenges and factors internal to the Department of Education that may deter \nProvincial Education Departments from achieving their objectives. The findings revealed that Provincial Education Departments (PEDs) do take heed of \nstrategies developed by the national Department of Basic Education (DBE). However \nimplementation is far removed from the original intention and no significant impact \nresults. Although the reasons are not always obvious from this study, a few important \naspects did emerge. First, the strategy developed may not be popular with a \nparticular province - employing foreign teachers is a case in point. Secondly, focusing \non just a number of schools to improve their results (e.g. as with the Dinaledi schools) \nmay meet with resistance from educators and teachers’ unions. Thirdly, creating \nbursaries for initial teacher education in certain key areas can only be successful if \nthe number of teachers in need is known. Finally, even the best strategies are \ndoomed if post provisioning and appointment of staff are dealt with by different \nstakeholders. \nBased on the findings, it is recommended that both the DBE and PEDs ensure that \nquality education management information is collected and maintained. Information \nthat is reliable and accurate will inform planning and key decisions to ensure that the \nsupply of teachers is based on a specific need. As such, deficiencies in skills that are \nin short supply such as Science and Mathematics can be averted and better \nopportunities can be created for new teacher graduates. While an improved \nperformance of learners in these subjects is requisite for related study fields at \nuniversities, the Dinaledi schools must be adequately supported and such a model \napplied to other schools. The employment of foreign teachers on short-term contracts \ndoes not create stability in schools, therefore, their employment must be \nstandardised. \nSignificantly, retention in rural and poor schools is a problem since they struggle to \nattract quality teachers; for that reason teacher incentives are indispensable. Making \na declaration for unqualified and under-qualified teachers to acquire professional \nteaching qualifications and subsequently discontinue such appointments, will raise \nthe standard of teaching and learning in schools. Rather, databases of unemployed \nqualified teachers could be maintained and such information made accessible to \nschool principals. In the absence of reliable data that can indicate teacher \nqualification and specialisation versus subject taught, the extent to which \nMathematics and Science are taught by unqualified and under-qualified teachers as well as out-of-specialisation teaching, is not known. However, poor pass rates in \nthese subjects at the exit point of the schooling system (Grade 12) attest to the lack \nof appropriately skilled teacher workforce. Therefore, if Mathematics and Science \nspecialisation is required, then strategies being implemented by the DBE and PEDs \nmust have a clear purpose to address this shortage.
Author: Florence Lesedi Magano
Language: English
Subfield: Education
Field: Social Sciences
Domain: Social Sciences
SDG: Quality education
Open Access status: green
OpenAlex ID: W9426923