WSU & SACE COMMIT TO TRANFORMING THE TEACHING PROFESSION

Walter Sisulu University, through its Faculty of Education, has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the South African Council for Educators (SACE) aimed at professionalising teachers from their early stages of training.

Through this MoU, SACE, WSU, and other South African institutions of higher learning, aim to collaborate towards ensuring that they produce teachers who are ethical and professional.

The MoU ensures that future educators are registered with SACE as a professional requirement, embedding professionalisation from work-integrated learning through to admission into the profession.

WSU Vice-Chancellor, Professor Rushiella Nolundi Songca alluded to the fact that many professions such as medicine and law belong to professional bodies which not only represent their interests, but govern their conduct.

“This whole discussion has opened my eyes to many possibilities, in terms of how we can not only work across disciplines, but also how we can improve the education system at high school and secondary school level. I think there are also areas of research that the faculty of education can explore as well,” said Songca.

Other areas of collaboration include curriculum alignment with SACE standards, continuous professional development, research-informed advocacy, and community engagement through student deployment to underserved schools.

For many years, South African schools have grappled with multiple issues, which are not necessarily of an academic nature, such as sexual misconduct and violence.

SACE CEO Ella Mokgalane said that although universities had produced exceptional teachers in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) subjects, these were the subjects which had the most issues as teachers tend to spend more time with learners, outside of normal school hours.

Mokgalane asserted that working together with universities, SACE would ensure that teachers took an oath similar to those taken by doctors and lawyers when they are admitted into their profession.

This, Mokgalane said, would ensure that teachers understand the gravity of their work, and treat it with the utmost respect.

“We're looking at the issue of professionalisation as a way of making sure that we get the student teachers and teachers to understand issues of professionalism from an individual point of view. We really need to make sure that we build capable , ethical, and digital-future fit teaching professionals,” said Mokgalane.

Faculty of Education Executive Dean, Professor Bongani Bantwini said that the partnership symbolised a commitment to transforming South Africa’s education and addressing the UN’s Sustainable Development Goal 4, which stresses the need for inclusive and equitable quality education.

“In a nation where quality education remains both a right and a gateway to equity, this partnership bridges policy and practice. SACE, as the guardian of educator professionalism, and WSU, as a catalyst for community-centered learning, are natural allies. Together, we address systemic challenges, from curriculum relevance to teacher retention, ensuring that educators are equipped to nurture future leaders,” said Bantwini.

He added: “This MoU transcends institutional boundaries, it is a pact to uplift South Africa. By empowering teachers, we ignite classrooms, inspire learners, and catalyse national development.”