The Department of Basic Education (DBE) is pondering introducing a system where teachers for subjects that are not in short supply, will be asked to consider taking early retirement to create space to address the shortage of maths and science teachers.
Basic education DG Bobby Soobrayan says the overall supply of teachers in the country is not an issue, but rather the supply of maths and science teachers.
According to a survey done by the DBE in 2008, SA had a shortage of 4 890 maths teachers and 4 551 science teachers nationally, which could have a devastating effect on the country's ICT sector in the long-term.
During the DBE's recent delivery of its 2012/13 performance report, Soobrayan said the department is working with provinces to introduce an early retirement system to have "a better spread" across the different subjects and age groups.
However, in a response to ITWeb's enquiry, department spokesperson Terence Khala said there is currently no official plan to introduce an early retirement system. "Early retirement is part of the normal terminations dispensation in the public service," he said.
"There is currently no plan to implement special provisions for early retirement for any group of educators."
Khala says while no such system has been authorised at this stage, the department is committed to the Funza Lushaka Bursary Scheme to promote scarce skills in educators, specifically targeting maths, science, technology, African languages, foundation phase and commercial subjects.
"Through this initiative, bursars are offered four-year bursaries to study bachelors' degrees in education. In addition, students who have a three-year qualification with teaching subjects are recruited and offered a one-year bursary to study for a post-graduate certificate in education."
Khala says in addition to the bursary scheme, quota work permits have also been issued to foreign teachers qualified in maths, science and technology subjects.
Khala did not specify when the department will make a decision on the initiation of an early retirement system. Soobrayan, however, emphasised that such a strategy would be "a very complex exercise" as the DBE would need compliance by provinces and unions, and would need to ensure provinces did not let the wrong teachers go.
In January, the department said the number of math and science passes at matric level had improved in 2012. Of those who wrote mathematics, 54% - or 121 970 - passed. Physical science passes improved to 109 918 - a rate of 61.3%.
Both figures are an improvement on last year, when only 46.3% of learners passed mathematics and 53.4% passed science.
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