Company Announcement - The first group of Northern Cape teachers who benefited from an investment by the SIOC-cdt have just graduated with degrees awarded by Rhodes University. The programme is designed to improve the quality of teaching in the province and benefit learners in critical subjects such as Mathematics and English. Mr Reuben Matlala, Projects Director at the Sishen Iron Ore Company – Community Development Trust (SIOC-cdt) says the programme is a major milestone for the province and the Trust. “We view education as a critical catalyst for change in our beneficiary communities.
“Good quality teacher training benefit the educators in their personal development, but also offer major advantages to their students who can now learn from educators that are fully qualified in their subjects.” The partnership between the SIOC and the Northern Cape Department of Education started in 2012 and enabled full-time teachers to study for courses offered by Rhodes University. The first group of 61 graduates include educators who now have fully-accredited qualifications in Foundation Phase teaching, Mathematics and English. The teachers were enrolled for a three year Bachelors of Education degree in the three areas of specialisation. In addition to subject content the courses also included teaching methodology and classroom practice. Mr Matlala says the Trust is very proud of the success achieved by the graduate teachers and will continue the partnership with the Northern Cape. An amount of R26-million has been allocated for the current group of teachers who are registered for a four-year B.Ed.-programme with graduation in 2018.
Since its establishment the SIOC-cdt has invested almost R550-million in education initiatives designed to benefit communities in the Northern Cape and Limpopo.
Mr Mareka Monyokolo the Trust Project Manager for Education says the professional development of teachers is a core element of its education strategy. The aim is to improve education outcomes and grow the competence of the teachers. Two of the graduates have recently been appointed as subject advisors in the province and another one as a school principal. The graduating teachers have expressed their appreciation for the opportunities afforded to them and acknowledge the difference the training has made in their professional careers.
The SIOC-cdt recognises the fact that teachers in its beneficiary communities face multiple constraints in delivering lessons which have an impact on the performance of their learners. These constraints include poor subject content, lack of experience in teaching strategies and ineffective classroom management. The partnership with the province and Rhodes is designed to address these shortcomings and result in much improved outcomes in education, says Mr Matlala.