Hundreds of Eastern Cape grade R teachers have been blocked from securing permanent government jobs after qualifications they obtained through a state-funded training programme nearly two decades ago were allegedly never properly accredited, prompting the provincial education department to launch an investigation.
The Eastern Cape education department has ordered an audit of early childhood development (ECD) practitioners who obtained qualifications through the Qondisa Programme after growing concerns that some certificates are not being recognised by the South African Council for Educators (SACE).
The dispute centres on the National Qualifications Framework (NQF) Level 4 certificate, obtained by many practitioners through the programme from 2007.
It also serves as a stepping stone, to unlock the NQF Level 5 diploma.
Without SACE recognition, affected teachers have been unable to take up permanent government posts despite years — and in some cases decades — of classroom experience.
An internal department memorandum, dated July 6 and sent to district directors and cluster chief directors, acknowledges complaints from practitioners whose qualifications obtained through the programme are not being recognised by SACE.
Districts were instructed to conduct a province-wide skills audit to determine how many teachers had been affected and submit their findings by Friday.
The audit comes months after the department announced the conversion of 870 qualified grade R practitioners to permanent Post Level 1 positions, ending years of annual contracts and stipends for many teachers.
Permanent employment is subject to SACE registration.
For one Mthatha teacher, who has spent almost 30 years in the classroom, the news was devastating.
Having taught since 1996, she enrolled in the Qondisa Programme in 2007 and graduated the following year.
Earlier this year, she believed she would finally secure a permanent post, only to discover her qualification was allegedly not accredited.
“I was informed that I would be employed permanently and I was told to come with my SACE accreditation,” she said.
“I went to East London to get it and that is when I was told the programme was not accredited.
“I was taken aback because there were a lot of us who were part of that programme.”
She began contacting former classmates across the province and quickly realised the problem was widespread.
“I tried to trace some of the people who were part of it. Remember, we came from different parts of the province.
“I later found out I was not alone.
“People as far as Libode were having the same problem and people were stressed because they are losing out on permanent posts for which we’ve waited for many years.”
Despite later obtaining an NQF Level 5 diploma in early childhood teaching, she said the unresolved status of her original qualification had cost her the permanent position.
“I have worked for many years and have my own children to feed.
“It was really painful seeing my replacement coming to work while I have been working with children my entire life.”
A grade R teacher from Nqamakhwe said she was among 191 practitioners earmarked for permanent employment in the Amathole East district.
“We went to the district offices in Gcuwa to submit our qualifications for vetting.
“I did my police clearance and all the required documentation,” she said.
“We were meant to sign our contracts but the department said SACE had an issue with eight of the people because of their Qondisa NQF Level 4 qualifications.”
She said the affected teachers travelled to SACE offices in Beacon Bay in search of answers.
“We were told it was not registered at the time. Then that was it. Some people fainted. Others cried.
“I was shocked. How was it even possible when we were being taken to the programme by the department?”
She said she too had since obtained higher qualifications but remained excluded from permanent employment.
A Centane practitioner said the department should honour its commitment because teachers had enrolled in the programme at its request.
“We’ve worked for them for many years. We did not do this ourselves.
“The department sent us on that programme …
“The department sent me there and now it has deserted us.
“It feels like they are stabbing us in the back,” she said.
Sadtu provincial secretary Malibongwe Ntame welcomed the investigation but said the department first needed to establish exactly what had happened with the programme.
“Our position was to say to the department they should have an urgent investigation on what is happening with Qondisa.
“Because there are accusations and counter accusations from what we hear.
“Some are saying the department deregistered the programme but it ended up being hijacked by an institution that was not accredited.
“That’s where we had a problem. We said there should be an urgent investigation because these people want employment.
“We can’t react from these arguments and counter arguments. We will be clear when we have these findings,” he said.
SACE spokesperson Risuna Nkuna referred questions to the department of basic education, the South African Qualifications Authority and the relevant Sector Education and Training Authority.
None had responded by the time of publication.
The Eastern Cape education department did not respond to detailed questions before publication.
Daily Dispatch
