Urgent mental health support needed as SA teachers buckle under pressure
A national survey shows that poor working conditions and heavy administrative demands are driving teachers to breaking point.
So stressed and overworked are SA teachers, that mental health support is urgently needed in schools, according to the latest study by the University of Stellenbosch.
The Teacher Preferences and Job Satisfaction in South Africa report, with findings based on a nationwide survey of over 1 500 teachers, complemented by follow-up telephonic interviews with 80 teachers, has revealed:
An alarming 50% of teachers desire leaving the profession in the next 10 years, with the primary reason being excessive workloads and administrative burdens;
A total of 70% have cited administrative duties as their primary source of stress, reducing time available for lesson planning and pupil support; and
A total of 40% said nothing would convince them to take a job in a rural area. 'While we do not expect pre-retirement attrition rates to reach 50%, these findings highlight an urgent need to address teacher burnout and mental health,' said Heleen Hofmeyer, one of the report's authors. 'Through follow-up interviews, we found that high stress levels, excessive administrative tasks and inadequate support systems, are driving factors for teachers wanting to leave the profession.' In addressing teacher challenges, policy recommendations made by the report included:
Expanding mental health support for teachers and pupils; v Reducing the administrative burden on teachers;
Introducing incentives to attract teachers to rural areas;
Equipping teachers with remedial teaching strategies; and
Enhancing classroom management training.
ALSO READ: Teachers forced to live in abandoned, dilapidated school building
'Neither shocked nor surprised'
The profession's trade union, Sadtu, said it was 'neither shocked, nor surprised' by the outcomes. 'We have always raised some of the areas contained in the report,' said Sadtu deputy secretary-general Nkosana Dolopi.
'We have highlighted the impact of workload, overcrowded classes, none or dilapidated infrastructure, austerity measures or budget cuts leading to posts not being filled, with unnecessary administrative tasks being assigned to teachers, earning low salaries, labouring under deplorable working conditions,' he said.
Pupil discipline and safety concerns for teachers – with little or no involvement of parents – was 'a recipe for disaster'. This madness over the matric pass percentages for political point-scoring, leading to long hours of work, sometimes on Saturdays and Sundays, should come to an end,' said Dolopi.
Teachers 'not prioritised'
Clinical psychologist Keitumetse Mashego, called the study a 'truly sad reflection of our society and the education system, in public and private schools'.
Teachers are not coping, largely due to being burnt out and this is a risk for them and a crisis for education and future generations.
'They play a crucial role in society, yet they are not prioritised. Burnout is debilitating and can lead to other mental health disorders – depression, anxiety or substance abuse,' said Mashego.
'In severe instances, sufferers often want to leave their profession due to the severity of their experience. 'The passion that brought them to the profession has eroded,' she said.
'People who have burnout often make statements such as 'I have nothing left to give to my work', with the big component of it being emotional exhaustion.
Mental health intervention
'According to the Maslach Burnout Inventory, other components are cynicism towards work, detachment or depersonalisation, where pupils are seen as objects, as well as reduced professional efficacy, whereby teachers would not see their success or value add.'
The demands on teachers were 'far beyond their capabilities as human beings and it's exacerbated', said Mashego.
'There needs to be immediate crucial individual mental health intervention for the teachers.'
NOW READ: Not adding up: More than 400 schools don't teach Mathematics
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The Citizen
06-05-2025
- The Citizen
Urgent mental health support needed as SA teachers buckle under pressure
A national survey shows that poor working conditions and heavy administrative demands are driving teachers to breaking point. So stressed and overworked are SA teachers, that mental health support is urgently needed in schools, according to the latest study by the University of Stellenbosch. The Teacher Preferences and Job Satisfaction in South Africa report, with findings based on a nationwide survey of over 1 500 teachers, complemented by follow-up telephonic interviews with 80 teachers, has revealed: An alarming 50% of teachers desire leaving the profession in the next 10 years, with the primary reason being excessive workloads and administrative burdens; A total of 70% have cited administrative duties as their primary source of stress, reducing time available for lesson planning and pupil support; and A total of 40% said nothing would convince them to take a job in a rural area. 'While we do not expect pre-retirement attrition rates to reach 50%, these findings highlight an urgent need to address teacher burnout and mental health,' said Heleen Hofmeyer, one of the report's authors. 'Through follow-up interviews, we found that high stress levels, excessive administrative tasks and inadequate support systems, are driving factors for teachers wanting to leave the profession.' In addressing teacher challenges, policy recommendations made by the report included: Expanding mental health support for teachers and pupils; v Reducing the administrative burden on teachers; Introducing incentives to attract teachers to rural areas; Equipping teachers with remedial teaching strategies; and Enhancing classroom management training. ALSO READ: Teachers forced to live in abandoned, dilapidated school building 'Neither shocked nor surprised' The profession's trade union, Sadtu, said it was 'neither shocked, nor surprised' by the outcomes. 'We have always raised some of the areas contained in the report,' said Sadtu deputy secretary-general Nkosana Dolopi. 'We have highlighted the impact of workload, overcrowded classes, none or dilapidated infrastructure, austerity measures or budget cuts leading to posts not being filled, with unnecessary administrative tasks being assigned to teachers, earning low salaries, labouring under deplorable working conditions,' he said. Pupil discipline and safety concerns for teachers – with little or no involvement of parents – was 'a recipe for disaster'. This madness over the matric pass percentages for political point-scoring, leading to long hours of work, sometimes on Saturdays and Sundays, should come to an end,' said Dolopi. Teachers 'not prioritised' Clinical psychologist Keitumetse Mashego, called the study a 'truly sad reflection of our society and the education system, in public and private schools'. Teachers are not coping, largely due to being burnt out and this is a risk for them and a crisis for education and future generations. 'They play a crucial role in society, yet they are not prioritised. Burnout is debilitating and can lead to other mental health disorders – depression, anxiety or substance abuse,' said Mashego. 'In severe instances, sufferers often want to leave their profession due to the severity of their experience. 'The passion that brought them to the profession has eroded,' she said. 'People who have burnout often make statements such as 'I have nothing left to give to my work', with the big component of it being emotional exhaustion. Mental health intervention 'According to the Maslach Burnout Inventory, other components are cynicism towards work, detachment or depersonalisation, where pupils are seen as objects, as well as reduced professional efficacy, whereby teachers would not see their success or value add.' The demands on teachers were 'far beyond their capabilities as human beings and it's exacerbated', said Mashego. 'There needs to be immediate crucial individual mental health intervention for the teachers.' NOW READ: Not adding up: More than 400 schools don't teach Mathematics
The South African
22-04-2025
- The South African
Half of SA teachers plan to quit amid workload and violence
A new study has revealed that nearly half of South Africa's teachers are considering leaving the profession within the next ten years due to overwhelming workloads, excessive administrative duties, mental health challenges, and increasing violence in schools. According to Mail&Guardian , the Teacher Preferences and Job Satisfaction in South Africa report, part of Stellenbosch University's Teacher Demographic Dividend Project, surveyed over 1 580 teachers to gain insight into their working conditions and levels of job satisfaction. One of the most striking findings is that 70% of teachers list administrative tasks such as filling out reports. Doing paperwork and attending non-teaching meetings — as their main source of stress. These tasks significantly cut into their time to plan lessons and support learners effectively. 'While we don't expect pre-retirement attrition rates to reach 50%, these findings highlight an urgent need to address teacher burnout and mental health,' said Heleen Hofmeyr, co-author of the report. 'If we want to ensure quality education in South Africa, we need to invest in teacher well-being, training, and support.' she added. The study also found that teachers have strong geographic preferences. The Western Cape and Gauteng rated as the most desirable provinces to work in. By contrast, rural provinces like Limpopo and the Eastern Cape are expected to face growing teacher shortages. 'Alarmingly, 40% of teachers stated that nothing would convince them to take a job in a rural area,' the report stated. Poor infrastructure, limited learning resources, and few professional development opportunities were among the reasons teachers gave for avoiding rural placements. Advocacy group Equal Education added that where teachers are willing to work in rural or under-resourced schools, they often lack the training to manage classrooms effectively in such settings. Another major concern is that discussions about South Africa's education crisis often overlook the threat of violence teachers face. Siboniso Mcobothi, a Stellenbosch University researcher who studied school violence in KwaZulu-Natal townships, said learners involved in gangs or raised in violent households increasingly target teachers in high-crime areas. Research from the South African Human Rights Commission (SAHRC) showed teachers face various forms of abuse. Including physical assaults, verbal threats, and intimidation. A learner in Gauteng attacked a teacher with furniture during an exam, causing severe injuries. The learner, who did not belong to the class, caused a disturbance and refused to leave despite repeated requests. Learners assaulted 23 school staff members in the Western Cape during the first quarter of 2023 alone. The South African Democratic Teachers' Union (Sadtu) has expressed deep concern about the rising violence in schools. 'Schools are becoming dangerous environments for both teachers and learners,' said Sadtu General Secretary Mugwena Maluleke. 'We have called for a dedicated police unit to handle school violence and for the provision of psycho-social support for affected educators.' The union also raised concern that female teachers seem to face more disciplinary challenges, although no data was provided to support this claim. Let us know by leaving a comment below, or send a WhatsApp to 060 011 021 1 Subscribe to The South African website's newsletters and follow us on WhatsApp, Facebook, X and Bluesky for the latest news.
Mail & Guardian
22-04-2025
- Mail & Guardian
Half of SA teachers want out because of violence, exhaustion
In 2023, Sadtu's Eastern Cape branch raised the alarm on school safety after three educators — including a school principal — were gunned down in the Lusikisiki area. (File photo) A Many educators say they are stretched far beyond their teaching duties, leaving little time for planning lessons or working meaningfully with learners. The Teacher Preferences and Job Satisfaction in South Africa report, produced as part of Stellenbosch University's Teacher Demographic Dividend Project, surveyed more than 1,580 teachers to gain deeper insights into their experiences, problems and motivations. One of the findings is that 70% of teachers cite administrative duties as their primary source of stress, making it difficult to find time to properly plan lessons and have adequate time to support learners. 'While we don't expect pre-retirement attrition rates to reach 50%, these findings highlight an urgent need to address teacher burnout and mental health,' the co-author of the report, Heleen Hofmeyr, told the Mail & Guardian. 'If we want to ensure quality education in South Africa, we need to invest in teacher well-being, training, and support.' The study also found that teachers have strong geographic preferences. The Western Cape and Gauteng were the most desirable locations, while rural provinces such as Limpopo and the Eastern Cape are expected to face significant teacher shortages. 'Alarmingly, 40% of teachers stated that nothing would convince them to take a job in a rural area,' the report said. Poor infrastructure as well as limited resources and career development opportunities deter many teachers from considering rural placements. The advocacy group, Equal Education, found that in cases where teachers are willing to teach in rural areas or resource-constrained schools, their training does not prepare them to facilitate teaching and learning in such environments. 'This indirectly affects learning outcomes and not only jeopardises the quality of education but also undermines efforts towards achieving inclusive and equitable quality education for all,' Another factor that contributed to low job satisfaction was violence perpetrated by learners against educators. 'This is an issue that is often overlooked in South Africa's education crisis. While headlines often spotlight learner struggles, there is a growing threat of violence faced by teachers,' said Siboniso Mcobothi, an education researcher at Stellenbosch University. Mcobothi researched attacks on teachers in the township areas of KwaZulu-Natal in districts such as Pinetown, Inanda, Ntuzuma and KwaMashu, where people are plagued by poverty and crime. 'These areas are crime hot spots,' Mcobothi said. 'Teachers find themselves caught in the crossfire, facing threats from learners who are often affiliated with gangs or exposed to violent environments.' Research from the South African Human Rights Commission (SAHRC) states that teachers experience various forms of violence, including physical assaults, verbal abuse and non-verbal harassment. The commission said it received a complaint from a teacher in Gauteng who recounted an incident where a learner physically attacked him using a chair and table. The educator had repeatedly asked the learner — who was not part of the class and was causing a disturbance during an exam — to leave the room. The learner refused and instead attacked the teacher, causing serious injuries. In other reported cases, learners were said to have snuck out of their hostels to consume alcohol or drugs, returning intoxicated and then verbally abusing and assaulting teachers. A study by the University of Free State 'The lack of support from school leadership further exacerbated the issue, leaving teachers feeling vulnerable and unsupported,' the research noted. The Western Cape education department has also seen a surge in violence against educators. In the first quarter of 2023 alone, 23 staff members, including teachers and support staff, were assaulted by learners. The South African Democratic Teachers' Union (Sadtu) has expressed 'deep concern' about the increasing number of incidents of violence in schools. The union's general secretary, Mugwena Maluleke, said schools are becoming dangerous environments for teachers and learners. 'As Sadtu, we called for the establishment of a dedicated police unit to address school violence and the provision of psycho-social services to support affected individuals,' he said. In 2023, Sadtu's Eastern Cape branch raised the alarm on school safety after three educators — including a school principal — were gunned down in the Lusikisiki area. Although Sadtu did not provide evidence or explanations about why the union believed women teachers seemed to face greater disciplinary problems, it maintained that schools with a higher proportion of male educators experienced fewer such issues.
