South Africa’s education system is at a crossroads. Our schools – critical drivers of socioeconomic upliftment – remain challenged by systemic and legacy failures. These have now been exacerbated by recent budget cuts; forcing the children who can least afford it into already overcrowded classrooms. While the next TIMSS (Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study) rankings will give the ecosystem a sense of any real improvement since the last set of findings, it is worth noting that public sector investment in basic education is just over 6% of the country’s GDP. This figure places South Africa among the highest spenders on education as a percentage of GDP globally before private sector CSI initiatives and individual investment are even considered. How is this collective investment converting into “success” though? And bringing us closer to creating local, regional and national “centres of excellence”? Most importantly, where should we be focusing our attention and collective efforts? Mala Suriah, the CEO of Fundi, explains.
Despite their potential to directly impact individual learners, teachers remain South Africa’s most under-valued resource. “With many schools and parents unable to afford the ‘basics’ needed for teaching, intrepid and determined teachers across the country continue finding a way and ‘making a plan’,” notes Suriah. “We’ve seen this once again at the annual Teacher’s Day awards which Fundi co-sponsored.”
Suriah explains that across the country, our children’s educators are rising to the challenge – seeking to deliver excellence in the most trying circumstances. Perhaps the most positive element about their story, is that they are investing in themselves, using their personal finances to further their education and professional development. “This is a critical data point for ecosystem funders: these on-the-ground resources remain game-changers in the system. They understand that education remains the most powerful tool for self-empowerment – and are leading by example.”
Fundi’s data on teacher “self-investment” over the past five years is telling: “As a starting point, one needs to consider that the majority of teachers in South Africa fall into the ‘missing middle’ themselves: they do not typically qualify for loans from ‘traditional’ financial institutions because of their salary grades. The cost of education has also risen substantially since 2019.”
Of the 4401 teachers who have secured a total of 7 825 Fundi loans this year, 24% of them are investing in themselves. “This has remained virtually constant over the five-year period – with the loan composition skewed between tuition and technology,” notes Suriah, highlighting that Treasury’s 2023 budget saw fewer resources earmarked for teacher development; a trend which has continued into this year.
That being said, South Africa’s education challenges are not unique. Other nations with similar socioeconomic dilemmas including Brazil and India, face comparable struggles. “While both of these countries have different strategies in place, investing in their teachers is a key component of each strategy.”
In Brazil, improving education quality is – in part – being addressed by teacher development. “Teacher quality is seen as pivotal for improving educational outcomes, so professional development programmes and initiatives that reward teacher performance are being invested in. The World Bank has noted teacher performance incentives as a critical part of Brazil’s strategy to boost educational standards, especially in underserved areas. Local private investors in education should note this,” adds Suriah. “There are opportunities already in place – like the Teachers Awards – that could be amplified through private funding; creating direct and immediate impact.”
In India, there is again a focus on rural and underserved areas. “Here initiatives like Tata Steel’s Thousand Schools Programme have played an essential role in improving teacher training, particularly in rural areas. This again underscores the value of and need for targeted private sector involvement.”
While Suriah emphasises the invaluable contribution of local private sector initiatives already in place, she believes that collective ecosystem dialogue focusing on empowering teachers could perhaps fast-track and amplify other initiatives. “If we take Finland as an example of a global education excellence, we see a non-negotiable investment in teacher training and continuous professional development. This high level of investment ensures that
Finnish educators remain at the forefront of innovative teaching methods. This has been key to Finland’s consistent top rankings in global education by the World Bank, among others.”
Although South Africa’s circumstances differ, there is a valuable lesson here: investing more in our teachers could be one of the surest paths to creating local educational excellence. “Teachers who are going above and beyond need to be recognised, supported, and uplifted. Hero-ing those educators who lead by example, particularly in challenging environments, is the first step in this process. We must then follow-through as a collective by enabling their further development.”
Focusing directly on our teachers – the people making education “happen” in South Africa – the collective ecosystem could potentially find a more effective way to drive and unlock impact where it’s needed most: at a grassroots level. “If teachers are continuing to invest in themselves, shouldn’t we be investing in them too?” says Suriah. “And what could change if we did?”
