PICTURE: PEXELS/ TEACHER
For many South African teachers, the classroom has become a battleground. A new study reveals that nearly half of the country’s educators are considering leaving the profession within the next decade, citing overwhelming workloads, excessive administrative tasks, and the growing threat of violence.
The Teacher Preferences and Job Satisfaction in South Africa report, compiled by Stellenbosch University, surveyed more than 1,580 teachers to gain insight into their daily realities.
The findings are sobering: 70% of respondents identified administrative duties as their main source of stress, leaving them with little time for lesson planning and meaningful engagement with learners.
This learner was selling drugs and dagga in the school, the took his bag which contained drugs and dagga and wanted to present it to the Principal as an evidence.
The learner insulted and promised to kill the teacher. pic.twitter.com/SKAoJxSSeV
— Sir Cabonena Alfred (@Lebona_cabonena) February 25, 2025
But paperwork isn’t the only burden teachers face.
Violence in schools is on the rise, especially in high-crime areas. Teachers report being verbally abused, threatened, and in some cases, physically attacked by learners.
Gauteng Education MEC Matome Chiloane is concerned by an incident that went viral on Friday,3 May 2024, where an educator (teacher) and a grade 9 boy learner from Glenvista High School in Johannesburg were seen fighting violently in class.
The department of education has since… pic.twitter.com/ThO9SyaJsr
— MDN NEWS (@MDNnewss) May 3, 2024
In one disturbing incident, a teacher confiscated a learner’s bag containing dagga and other drugs with the intention of reporting it to the principal. The learner responded by insulting the teacher and threatening to kill them.
Another shocking case emerged in Gauteng, where a video went viral showing a violent altercation between a grade 9 learner and an educator at Glenvista High School in Johannesburg. Gauteng Education MEC Matome Chiloane expressed deep concern over the incident.
In rural provinces like Limpopo and the Eastern Cape, the situation is equally dire. Forty percent of surveyed teachers said nothing could persuade them to work in these regions due to poor infrastructure, lack of basic resources, and limited career growth opportunities.
In a tragic case that made national headlines, a Cape Town Grade 6 teacher was shot and killed outside the school premises — allegedly by a learner he had previously had a dispute with.
🔴Cape Town Teacher Shot & Killed🔴
In Today’s Top Stories- A Cape Town grade 6 teacher has been shot and killed as he arrived at school 🏫. It is alleged that he was killed by a learner he had a dispute with. Developing story. pic.twitter.com/VTyQzezPdX
— The Insight Factor (@insightfactor) September 21, 2021
Advocacy groups like Equal Education warn that teachers in under-resourced schools often lack the training and support needed to manage classrooms effectively, especially in high-risk environments.
Experts are calling for urgent intervention. Key recommendations include expanding mental health support for educators, reducing administrative workloads, and introducing meaningful incentives to encourage teachers to work in rural and under-served areas.
First published by African Insider
Compiled by Lisabeal Nqamqhele
Also see: Cellphone dispute leads to physical fight between teacher and learner
