Abstract:

There seems to be a gap between on the one hand professional teachers’ organisations (PTOs) and teacher training institutions in some parts of South Africa. PTOs consider that their aim is that of giving teachers a renewed understanding of themselves and a renewed confidence in their teaching vocation through sustained professional learning. They are also perceived as mostly interested in issues around teachers’ working conditions and remuneration. On the other hand the focus of teacher training institutions seems to be on the provision initial teacher education with very little interest for engagement with in service teacher.
This paper takes the view that the input of professional teachers' organisations (PTOs) can contribute significantly to the improvement of teacher education because they can reflect critically on their teacher education from their vintage point as key stakeholders in education. When called upon, they can identify the link between their professional needs and the content of teacher training curricula. The paper highlights the current problems, lacunae, challenges and deficiencies of teacher education programmes in South Africa from the perspective of some members of a professional teachers' organisation and presents their suggestions for the improvement of initial teacher education. The paper further discusses strategies used by a local Not-for-a-profit organization to mend the gap between PTO, teacher training institutions and other stakeholders. A continuous dialogue between universities, teachers’ organisation and members of school governing bodies can certainly contribute to the improvement of teaching and teacher education institutions.

Keywords:

Teacher union, higher education, quality improvement.