Over 7 000 SA grade R teachers lack required qualification

THE Department of Basic Education has revealed that 7 294 unqualified Grade R practitioners are currently employed in public schools across all nine provinces in South Africa, and that only 2 121 of them are eligible for qualification upgrades.

- SIMON MAJADIBODU

These practitioners do not possess the minimum National Qualifications Framework (NQF) Level 6 qualification required to teach at this level.

The figures were presented to the Portfolio Committee on Basic Education yesterday during a briefing on the status of regulations to the Basic Education Laws Amendment (BELA) Act as they relate to Grade R admissions. The briefing also included updates on Sections 4 and 5 of the Children’s Amendment Bill of 2025.

In August, the Minister of Basic Education, Siviwe Gwarube, gazetted the first two sets of regulations under the BELA Act, 2024, for public comment. Chief Director for the department of Basic Education, Enoch Rabotapi provided an update on the upgrading of qualifications for Grade R practitioners, emphasising that the BELA Act formally incorporates Grade R into basic education.

This means Grade R teachers must now hold qualifications equivalent to those of other educators. “This process is meant to ensure that those already in the system but lacking the entry-level qualifications are supported to achieve them,” Rabotapi said.