Growing Early Childhood Education Teachers in Rural Areas |
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| Authors: | Donna Hannaway Poomoney Govender Petro Marais Corinne Meier |
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| Institution: | 1. University of South Africa;2. University of South Africa govenp2@unisa.ac.za;3. University of South Africa, maraip@unisa.ac.za;4. University of South Africa meierc@unisa.ac.za |
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| Abstract: | Currently in South Africa, there are over 20 000 underqualified Grade R teachers who are enlisted into service to ensure that Grade R teaching can continue. The aim of the study reported on was to investigate the challenges and needs faced by underqualified teachers in order to promote the professional development of teachers teaching in rural areas. Phenomenology was used as the research design. By means of a qualitative research approach, purposeful sampling selected only underqualified early childhood education (ECE) teachers teaching in rural schools for more than five years or more in three provinces, as well as their school principals. The findings revealed the following needs and challenges: the need for resources; poor infrastructure; lack of parental involvement; overcrowded classrooms; the need for in-service training; needs of the rural communities; and support from an open distance learning (ODL) institution. |
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| Keywords: | early childhood education open distance learning rural schools teacher training young children |
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