A4. Workload Of School-Based Educators (ELRC Resolution No. 7 of 1998)
A.4.1 Introduction
A.4.1.1 These measures cover all full-time educators (including psychologists, therapists and counsellors) that are school based.
A.4.1.2 The work done by educators includes the following core duties covered during a formal school day (with or without contact with the learners) and outside the formal school day.
A.4.1.2.1 During the formal school day
(a) Scheduled teaching time.
(b) Relief teaching.
(c) Extra and co-curricular duties. (d) Pastoral duties (ground, detention, scholar patrol, etc.).
(e) Administration.
(f) Supervisory and management functions.
(g) Professional duties (meetings, workshops, seminars, conferences) etc.).
(h) Planning, preparation and evaluation.
A.4.1.2.2 Outside the formal school day
(a) Planning, preparation and evaluation.
(b) Extra and co-curricular duties.
(c) Professional duties (meetings, workshops, seminars, conferences).
(d) Professional development.
A.4.1.3 Each post level within a school has different duties and responsibilities, encompassing the core duties outlined in paragraph A.4.1.2 above, but to a varying degree.
A.4.1.4 There should be an equitable distribution of workload between the various post levels and within a post level to ensure that educators on a particular level or an individual educator is not overburdened.
This practice of overburdening educators is not always intentional because educators who has aspiration to be promoted to a higher position do intend to get themselves in a position where they take on to much work. It still remain the Principal’s role to ensure that capacity building does not lead to Educator Burnout and disillusionment with the Education Establishment.
A.4.1.5 The expectation is that every educator must be able to account for 1800 actual working hours per annum.
A.4.2. Workload per educator
A.4.2.1 All educators should be at school during the formal school day, which should not be less than 7 hours per day, except for special reasons and with the prior permission of the principal. The principal will exercise his/her discretion in this regard based on provincial policy.
A.4.2.2 The 7 hours per day includes the breaks and the period/s in which the learners are not at school.
A.4.2.3 Scheduled teaching time during the formal school day will be specified with time allocation per post level. The principal must determine the allocation of subjects, timetable and resultant scheduled teaching time after consultation with the educator staff.
A.4.2.4 All other duties are specified and allocated by the principal after consultation with the educator staff. Educators will be expected to perform the core duties, as outlined in paragraph A.5.2, both within and outside of the formal school day, and with the understanding that none of these may diminish the overall amount of scheduled teaching time or negatively impact upon the curriculum.
A.4.2.5 An educator shall, during his/her official duty, give his/her full attention to the duties entrusted to him/her and shall not without the consent of the head of the relevant institution or office be absent from his/her school or institution during his/her hours of official duty. (Regulation 23, Regulations regarding the terms and conditions of employment in education)
A.4.2.6 All educators may be required by the employer to attend programmes for ongoing professional development, up to a maximum of 80 hours per annum. These programmes must be conducted outside the formal school day or during the vacations. The employer shall give at least one term notice of programmes to be conducted during the school vacations.
A.4.3 Scheduled teaching time per post level
A.4.3.1 The time allocated for teaching in respect of different post levels will differ according to the size of the school. In smaller schools principals and their deputy principals are required to do more teaching than in large schools with bigger staff establishments. The actual hours must therefore be established in relation to the curriculum needs of the school, the timetable and staff establishment of the school. Scheduled teaching time is expressed as a percentage of the total time that learners in the particular grades are required to be taught.
A.4.3.2 The allocation of scheduled teaching time should be done in such a manner that it:-
A.4.3.2.1 Maximises the individual abilities of all educators.
A.4.3.2.2 Optimises teaching and learning at the institutional level.
A.4.3.3 In general terms, the following may be considered as guidelines in determining the scheduled teaching time:-