Almost 900 Eastern Cape grade R teachers will soon have permanent government jobs, pending adoption of the new budget later in November.
The teachers, currently on annual contracts without benefits, will be employed full-time with access to government pension schemes, housing subsidies and medical aid.
“The department has made a decision to convert 870 practitioners who are qualified to post level 1,” education department spokesperson Mali Mtima said.
“All educators are obliged to register with SACE [South African Council for Educators], thus the grade R educators have to.
“An educator without a SACE certificate cannot be employed.”
Zola Primary School grade R teacher Sanelisiwe Vane said it was “one of the best pieces of news we have received in a long time”.
She said many grade R teachers had been working on temporary contracts for years.
“We give our all with little job security.
“This announcement gives us hope that our hard work and dedication is finally being acknowledged,” Vane said.
“If by God’s grace I’m one of the teachers on that list, I would be overjoyed and deeply grateful.
“It’s a chance for stability after years of uncertainty.
“Teaching grade R is not just a job, it’s a calling. We build the foundation for children’s learning.”
Ngwegweni Primary School grade R teacher Okuhle Mandulo said the news had given her hope.
“It feels like an answered prayer.”
Mandulo said permanent employment would bring stability.
“It would give me a sense of security and dignity, knowing I can better provide for my family and plan for the future.
“It would also motivate me to keep giving my best,” she said.
After a high-level meeting last week, South African Democratic Teachers Union (Sadtu) provincial secretary Malibongwe Ntame said the union had “clinched an agreement”.
This has nothing to do with the function shift but has to do with professionalising grade R teaching.
— Provincial education department spokesperson Mali Mtima
Ntame said the provincial government had confirmed the availability of funds for the move from the treasury.
However, it is understood that this will only be confirmed during the provincial adjustment budget set to be tabled on November 27.
Ntame urged qualifying union members to come forward.
“The department has also confirmed it secured funding from the provincial treasury,” he said in a recording sent to union members.
“No-one should be left outside of this opportunity in all our branches.”
Permanent employment for grade R teachers has long been a bone of contention.
“The system reflects that there are 870 professionals qualified, however if there might be missing ones, they will be accommodated,” said Ntame.
“These educators will be entitled to … medical aid, subsidies, the ability to contribute to a pension, 13th cheques and housing allowances.”
Ntame said the pending permanent employment of the teachers was in line with the implementation of the Bela Act, which required the education department to appoint professionally qualified grade R teachers in all primary schools.
“When the MEC [Fundile Gade] made the declaration for 2026, grade R was deliberately excluded and referred to a technical task team, which presented recommendations to the head of department [HoD],” he said.
“The HoD then secured funding from the provincial treasury, making this a continuation and conclusion of the PPN [post provisioning norms] processes started in July/August 2025.
“Essentially, grade R educators previously receiving stipends will now be absorbed into the mainstream.”
Provincial treasury spokesperson Pumelele Godongwana would not confirm plans to fund the move.
“Any allocation of new funds follows a budget process, and as things stand, finance MEC [Mlungisi Mvoko] has not yet tabled any new budget,” Godongwana said.
“As such, any new funding will be communicated through the upcoming Provincial Medium Term Budget Policy Statement and Adjustment Budget on November 27 2025.”
The department has been on a mission to professionalise grade R.
It provided bursaries to grade R practitioners so that they could study towards a diploma in grade R teaching or B Ed degree in foundation phase teaching.
After qualifying, grade R practitioners have been appointed as grade R teachers with full teachers salary.
“Currently there are about 870 qualified grade R practitioners which the department intends to appoint as teachers,” Mtima said.
“This has nothing to do with the function shift but has to do with professionalising grade R teaching.”
DA MPL Horatio Hendricks said he supported the initiative by the department.
“This initiative not only promotes employment opportunities for educators within our province but also advances a crucial priority — the growth and development of early childhood education,” he said.
“The literacy crisis in SA is profound. According to 2021 reports, 81% of grade 4 learners could not read for meaning.
“Tackling literacy challenges represents not only an educational priority but also an economic imperative, given the substantial costs and long-term implications thereof.
“Low literacy rates cost SA’s economy an estimated R119bn annually.
“This underscores the urgent need for targeted interventions to equip all children with the foundational literacy skills.”
The pending permanent posts boost comes in the wake of a grim picture on the unemployment rate in the province.
On Tuesday, Stats SA said the data indicated the number of employed people increased in eight provinces between the second and third quarters, with the largest employment gains recorded in the Western Cape (70,000), KwaZulu-Natal (54,000), Gauteng (51,000), North West (42,000) and Limpopo (40,000).
Employment loss was only recorded in the Eastern Cape (53,000) during that period.
Daily Dispatch
Would you like to comment on this article?
Sign up (it's quick and free) or sign in now.
Please read our Comment Policy before commenting.