NATIONAL ASSEMBLY
FOR WRITTEN REPLY
QUESTION 2099
DATE OF PUBLICATION OF INTERNAL QUESTION PAPER: 02/11/09
(INTERNAL QUESTION PAPER 26-2009)
Mr PF Smith (IFP) to ask the Minister of Basic Education:
Whether dedicated incetives are provided to suitably-qualified teachers to
improve the teaching of maths and science in the public school system; if
not, why not; if so, what incentives? NW2755E
REPLY:
The policy on Incentives for Educators was declared in December 2007
(Government Notice no. 25, Gazette no. 30678). The aim of the policy is
attract and retain educators in areas of scarcity. The policy provides for
four types of incentives, namely, posts in schools situated in remote
geographical areas; posts in subject/learning areas/phases which are
difficult to fill. The policy identifies mathematics, science, ICT and some
languages but also allows for Provincial Education Departments (PEDs) to
identify scarce subjects/learning areas in terms of their own needs; posts
that are in schools situated in the difficult urban zones of the country or
the so-called hard-to-teach schools and lastly; the policy also allows for
incentives to attached to posts, based on the request from the Principal
and the SGB of the school after providing evidence that identified posts
are difficult to fill.
To ensure quality, the policy prescribes that for an educator who occupies
an incentivized post to be eligible to receive payment he/she must be fully
qualified (REQV 13). It is, however, up to each PED to identify its needs
and prioritise the types of incentives it is going to pay accordingly. As
the priorities could differ across PEDs, therefore it is possible that not
all PEDs will prioritise the incentives for scarce subjects.
Compiler: Mfela Mahlangu
Ext: 5994
Paddy Padayachee
Acting DDG: P
Date:
DUNCAN HINDLE
DIRECTOR- GENERAL
Date:
QUESTION 2099 APPROVED/ AMENDED/ NOT APPROVED
MRS ANGIE MOTSHEKGA, MP
MINISTER OF BASIC EDUCATION
DATE: