A model to relieve South African educators from the administrative demands generated by the implementation of the National Curriculum Statement

Abstract

The primary aim of this study was to develop a model to relieve South African educators from the administrative demands generated by the implementation of the National Curriculum Statement. The influence of the implementation of the National Curriculum Statement on the administrative workload of South African educators, the nature of the administrative activities of educators in South African schools and the nature of the assistance South African educators require to manage their teaching task successfully, were researched through a literature study and an empirical investigation. A model was then developed to relieve South African educators of the administrative demands generated by the implementation of the National Curriculum Statement. The researcher found that in several research reports educators indicate that their workload has increased dramatically as a result of different aspects such as the amount of paperwork, behaviour of learners, class size, level of support from the Department of Education, recording and reporting of learner performance and extra-curricular activities. All these aspects cause educators distress/anxiety and they find it frustrating and difficult to cope with the increased workload. It also became evident that the majority of educators in South Africa experience the multiple, complex and constantly changing requirements in teaching and learning contexts, marked on the whole by large classes with diverse teaching and learning needs, as an unbearable increase in workload and that educators need support in respect of their administrative duties as this impacts on effective teaching and learning. Based on the findings of this research, it is clear that educators need support to alleviate their administrative workload. The focus of the proposed model (Relieve Educators Administrative Demands) is on relieving educators from the administrative demands that the implementation of the National Curriculum Statement generated. The implementation of this model should alleviate educators’ workload and the support that interns can give in this regard will provide educators with more time for teaching and learning.