By Charmaine Ndlela
Teachers are “the connective tissue between constitutional aspirations and learners’ lived experiences,” and their voices must shape education policy rather than being reduced to tick-box exercises.
This is according to South African Council for Educators (SACE) Manager for Planning and Research and Acting Head of Ethics and Professional Development, Tuzana Sophethe, who addressed Day 1 of SACE’s two-day Hybrid Teachers’, Practitioners’ and Researchers’ Colloquium at the President Hotel in Bloemfontein, Free State.
Reaffirming the central role of teachers in shaping the future of education, Sophethe said the sessions were held under the UNESCO-declared theme: “Valuing teachers’ voices: towards a new social contract for education.”
“The theme emphasises the need to recognise teachers as co-creators of educational futures, not just implementers of policy,” she said.
Sophethe added that professional development should empower teachers to reflect, innovate and build solidarities.
“Education is a battleground of ideas, and teachers’ voices are crucial in consolidating democracy. We must work together towards a new social contract that prioritises teacher agency, reflective practice and education as a public good,” she said.
Thiboloha Special School teacher–practitioner researcher T. Chaka presented on the importance of effective learning and the qualities required for strong educational leadership.
Leadership, he argued, is not a title but a responsibility rooted in character, vision and a commitment to excellence.
Preparation for teaching, he added, demands meticulous planning and thoughtful adaptation.
Reflecting on the recent G20 Summit, Chaka said continuous learning and engagement remain essential to achieving the goals of the NDP 2030. Creativity, adaptability and collaboration, he noted, are key to high-quality education—along with accountability and sustained professionalism.
His aspiration is to help mould future generations of teachers and leaders who will strengthen the sector.
Researcher Lerato Mohale presented on inclusion, diversity and equity, warning that the sector still lacks adequate support for inclusive education. “At times we have non-functional SBSTs because we do not have outside stakeholders,” she said.
Another presenter, Kenneth Khantsi, shared research on how collaborative leadership improves school governance in township secondary schools.
Award-winning educator Luyanda Buthi, national runner-up for Excellence in Secondary School Teaching, called for stronger mental-health support for teachers and departmental heads.
“As teachers, physiologically and mentally, we are not well. We recently lost a colleague to suicide. On the same day, learners were writing Physical Science Paper 3. As I mourned, it was business as usual—I had to invigilate,” she said.
Buthi stressed that teachers are expected to perform despite insufficient wellbeing support.
SACE encouraged student teachers, teacher educators, instructional designers and those who missed the orientation to follow the sessions online and continue engaging with the discussions.
INSIDE EDUCATION
