you need to find a university that caters to your needs to become a professional teacher. There are quite a few, and you will have to select one depending on your location, finances, or preference. A list of universities to get you started on your undergraduate teaching course includes the following schools;
- Walter Sisulu University
- North-West University
- Stellenbosch
- University of Pretoria
- University of Witwatersrand
- University of Johannesburg
- University of KwaZulu-Natal
- University of the Western Cape
3-4 year Degree and 1 year PGCE
This option is a further step from the bachelor’s degree and is most preferred if you would like to specialize in specific subjects. The Post Graduate Certificate in Education (PGCE) has to be in the same subjects you chose in your 4-year degree. Generally, you qualify to be a professional high school teacher in a specific subject if you take this route.
Volunteer teacher in South Africa-TEFL Certificate
The student-educator ratio is not that great which necessitates the acceptance of volunteer educators in the country, especially for the pre-primary and primary classes. Most people who volunteer to teach in South Africa mainly teach English. To qualify, you will have to be vetted using South African standards via the South African Qualifications Authority (SAQA).
Alternatively, you can become a professional teacher in South Africa by presenting your TEFL exams. This proves that you can actually teach English, one of the 11 official languages of South Africa.
Register with SACE
Now that you already have a certificate that allows you to teach in South Africa, you need to register with the SACE to start practicing officially. This is a requirement per Section 21 of the South African Council for Educator’s Act that you will have to fulfill before you are appointed to a teaching post and regardless of what phase you would like to teach.Interesting facts about starting a franchise in South Africa
South African Council of Educators (SACE) will require you submit a fully filled application form, present your identity card, an up-to-date police clearance certificate and pay the registration fee. The registration fee is usually around R200 for South African citizens and R400 for non-South African citizens.
In addition to those three, to apply for SACE registration, non-South Africans will have to submit;
- Proof of employment by a school in South Africa
- A work permit allowing you to teach in South Africa
- An evaluation report for employment in education obtained from the Department of Basic Education: Education Qualifications and Program sector
- An evaluation report from SAQA
- Proof of permanent residence in South Africa
- Non-South African identity document
The SACE then vets your application and may investigate claims you disclose before you are approved to teach in South Africa. You will be given an SACE registration number that uniquely identifies your registration and status.