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.
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Daily Maverick
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