Understanding Teachers’ Perceptions of Continuing Professional Development within Social Cohesion in South Africa: Towards ‘Othering Theory’

• In Event: Inclusive, Equitable and Transformative Approaches to Education

Proposal

The South African government has made a commitment to serious political and educational reforms aimed at promoting inclusion, equity, and social justice since the country's democratic transition in 1994. As demonstrated by the Integrated Strategic Planning Framework for Teacher Education and Development, the government views teacher professional development as a key strategy and views teachers as central to accomplishing this reform. The study explores the perceptions of teachers on the effects of Continuing Professional Development (CPD) programs on the promotion of social cohesion within teachers in the public schools. Social cohesion is seen as a pressing goal in post-apartheid South Africa and is frequently mentioned as a way to create a fair and equitable society. However, the most recent data on citizens' perceptions of social cohesion and reconciliation from the South African Reconciliation Barometer (SARB) indicates that apartheid's legacy still has an impact on people's lives. Using the qualitative approach, data will be collected through interviews with teachers from the public secondary schools in the Limpopo Province, Capricorn Region. The study uses ‘theory of othering’ as a theoretical framework.

Author

• David Matsepe, SADTU