Those keen on building a permanent career in the education sector have not been spared from becoming victims of a new fraudulent scheme. A recent Twitter post by the Gauteng Department of Education (GDE) is warning potential and non-permanent employees of fake news posts circulating online.
The post, in question, is aimed at soliciting bribes from unsuspecting victims with the false promise of allocating them permanent employment as educators at the provincial education department.
The Gauteng Department of Education (GDE) wishes to alert the public about scams where educators are persuaded to pay bribes in order for their status to be converted from temporary/substitute to permanent.
However, while presenting their 2021/2022 annual report to the Portfolio Committee in a virtual meeting, the South African Council for Educators (SACE) revealed a shortage projection of 50 000 to 70 000 teachers by 2030.
Some of the challenges the education sector will encounter over the next ten years were also identified in the 2030 Reading Panel Background Report. One alarming result shows that during the next ten years, 45% of teachers will retire.
Education institutions will need to raise teacher production from 26,000 in 2018 to 44,000 by 2025 to 50,000 by 2030 to replace the group of retiring teachers.
A Postgraduate Certificate in Education (PGCE) or Bachelor of Education degree is required to become a teacher in South Africa.
