The KwaZulu-Natal department of education has appointed 500 grade R teachers to improve early childhood education in the province.
Education MEC Sipho Hlomuka said the teachers will officially begin work on April 1. He said the move is part of the department’s plan to strengthen the foundation phase of learning and ensure young children receive quality education from an early age.
“The initiative supports the implementation of the Basic Education Laws Amendment Act that grade R is compulsory in the beginner’s phase of education,” he said.
The 500 teachers represent more than numbers, Hlomuka said. “They represent hope, opportunity and a stronger future for the children of the province,”
The department said the new appointments will bring several important improvements including better teacher to learner ratios in grade R classrooms, improved quality of teaching and learning in the early years and more access to early education, especially in rural and underserved communities.
Investing in the foundation phase will not only prepare children for school but also lead to better performance in higher grades, improved matric results over time and higher pupil retention rates, it said.
‘We are committed to ensuring every child gets a strong start in school."
TimesLIVE
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