‘It will make me a real teacher’: Learning experiences of part time PGCE students in South Africa

Part-time Post Graduate Certificate in Education Teacher-Students: What do they bring to and expect from a formal South African Teaching Programme?

“…The driving assumption underpinning this teacher education model was that these teacher-students already possessed disciplinary subject content knowledge from their undergraduate studies. The PGCE professional qualification then aims to equip them with the competencies, knowledge and skills needed to teach this disciplinary knowledge to school children (Bertram et al, 2013). The PGCE curriculum is made up of three key parts: core education and professional studies modules, teaching specialization modules and teaching practice (University of KwaZulu-Natal, 2006).…”

“…While discussions around raising the minimum requirement for qualified teachers to REQV 14 have been ongoing, the Department of Education is yet to specify a date when this change will effectively take effect. Whereas the qualifications standardization and increased duration of study to become an adequately qualified teacher suggest professionalization of the teaching profession in South Africa (Reeves & Robinson, 2010) this move would, however, exacerbate the shortage of teachers in the country (Bertram et al 2013). The national higher education sector is simply not graduating the number of teachers required by the system.…”

Education in the Best Interests of the Child

“…Qualified and quality educators are necessary for delivery of effective education (Bertram, Mthiyane & Mukeredzi, 2013;Mukeredzi, 2013;Spaull, 2013b). Bertram et al 2013…”

Online learning challenges postgraduate certificate in education History students faced during COVID-19 at the university of Zululand

“…The general purpose of the PGCE in this regard is established through national policy (Mukeredzi & Sibanda, 2016). The aim of the PGCE professional qualification is further to equip students with the competencies, knowledge and skills needed to teach disciplinary knowledge to learners (Bertram, Mthiyane, & Mukeredzi, 2013). Hence, the PGCE curriculum constitutes three key parts: core education and professional studies modules, teaching specialisation modules, and teaching practice (University of KwaZulu-Natal, 2006).…”