THE Department of Education in KwaZulu-Natal has set aside R9 million to help address the critical shortage of skilled and qualified mathematics and science teachers.
The money, in the form of bursaries, will be used to pay for the tertiary education of matriculants who want to study towards a teaching qualification in the scarce skills subjects.
The department said the continued critical shortage of skilled and qualified teachers in such subjects remained a challenge.
Other subjects in this category are commerce, computer studies and technology.
The department said the teaching profession had over the years become less attractive to the youth.
Provincial superintendent-general Cassius Lubisi said the department would provide bursaries to 221 students from disadvantaged backgrounds.
Lubisi, pictured, said interested candidates should have a good performance record at school and should have studied at a provincial school for at least three years.
"All Grade 12 pupils and unemployed people interested in joining the department must be informed of this bursary scheme and be helped to access application forms," said Lubisi.
The National Teachers Union welcomed the department's initiative, but expressed concern that there was still a large number of unqualified teachers in the system.
"Already we have maths and science teachers without qualifications. There are teachers teaching with only a Grade 12 certificate.
"The department should also make funds available to train unqualified teachers and possibly make training free to attract more people," Lubisi said.
Published from Sowetan Live
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