Basic education grapples with teacher absenteeism
The Department of Basic Education has admitted that the high levels of teacher absenteeism is a major problem.
Minister Angie Motshekga released the findings of the 2017 School Monitoring Survey in Pretoria on Monday.
The national survey -which was initiated in 2017- sought to measure the progress made by public schools.
Teacher absenteeism in the Northern Cape (13%), North West and the Eastern Cape (both at 12%) were all higher than the national average of 9%.
Limpopo and Free State were lowest with 6% and 7% respectively.
She says it the responsibility of the principles to ensure teachers report for work.
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"And that's where we want to strengthen your control in schools because it is principles who have the first responsibility to make sure there's discipline in schools, but to also make sure they report management of leave."
Motshekga says teacher not being in class has a massive impact on pupils.
"It is an unfortunate situation, I really don't want to be emotional say depressing because if you speak about lower classes if a teacher doesn't show up it may mean that young kids on their own without their teacher. So it's a very dangerous situation, especially in your lower classes.
"But even if in your upper classes it means you are losing valuable time for teaching. That's why it's one of the indicators we are monitoring because it's one of the significance of teachers and their participation and coming in schools."
Motshekga believes teachers lack discipline.
"My problems from my own experience isn't with the unions. Some of the problems that I don't want to condone, but also to hide. It's just discipline also. It could be environmental area I mean it rains like this with bad roads sometimes areas are inaccessible. It will be one of the factors when there's high absenteeism when the weather is as bad, especially in rural areas where the road infrastructure is not at its best."
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