A recent survey conducted with more than 1 200 teachers from all teaching levels has found that 81% of teachers feel overwhelmed and hopeless in the classroom when faced with children who have learning difficulties.
The survey, conducted by Scientology Volunteer Ministers, was carried out over several months with educators from all levels, including college professors, who were asked about the difficulties they encounter in teaching and supporting learners.
According to Sandile Hlayisi, one of the surveyors, the educators expressed more difficulty in offering pupil support than in content delivery.
Pupil support is a broad subject that focuses on what the teacher or instructor can or should do to help pupils beyond the formal delivery of content, or skills development.
Hlayisi said that educators expressed difficulty when they have to support pupils going through social problems such as bullying, substance abuse, crime, unruly behaviour, peer pressure and study difficulties and disabilities.
“Poverty and unemployment is directly linked to education quality. Improving the quality of education would have a positive impact in our country. This could not be more important than now, when we are facing the worst rate of unemployment in our history,” he added.
Organisations outside government have been extending their relief efforts to educators in order to assist them with dealing with learner support.
These include organisations such as Zero Dropout Campaign, Education Charity Foundation, Seeds of Africa and Scientology Volunteer Ministers, who have been active in running learner-support professional development workshops for educators and parents.
Education