Durban University of Technology held a certification ceremony on 7 September 2010 where 557 students were awarded certificates for completion of the Teaching Assistant Programme (TAP). The programme was offered at the behest of the KZN Department of Education (DoE) to deal with the problem of under-performing Foundation Phase teachers, especially in rural areas.
In regard to its underpinning philosophy and module content, the programme is in line with the Foundations for Learning Campaign (2008 -2011) gazetted by the Minister of Education on 14 March 2008. Consequently, TAP, like the Foundations for Learning Campaign has, as its main objective, the improvement of the reading, writing and numeracy abilities of Foundation Phase learners.
TAP’s central objective is to provide high-level training to 600 Teaching Assistants who will relieve qualified Foundation Phase teachers of onerous yet inescapable administrative and classroom management responsibilities, and thus accord them the time and flexibility to focus on their core responsibility of teaching and assessment. It is hoped that this will enhance the quality of the teaching and learning experience in primary schools.
The course was offered to select teaching assistants who have been appointed and deployed in primary schools in KwaZulu-Natal (KZN). The Teaching Assistant initiative has an important developmental dimension in that it provides employment for unemployed youth who could later choose to pursue a career in teaching.
The completely self funding course is offered at the Indumiso Site by DUT’s School of Education. The selected delivery sites are appropriately-equipped DoE Education Centres throughout KZN, including Education Resource Centres and some schools. The project is facilitated by part-time tutors who have at least five years experience of Foundation Phase teaching, a Bachelor of Education (Honours degree), and lecturers from the School of Education.
The joint TAP partnership between the KZN DOE and DUT provides an excellent opportunity for the University to market its academic programmes to communities within the province. The minimum TAP admission requirement is a Grade 12 certificate. TAP is a non-subsidised course that equips learners with the necessary knowledge, skills and competencies to enable them to provide necessary support to qualified teachers. It also acquaints the Teacher Assistant with the Foundation Phase curriculum with a view to piquing their interest in teacher education; and equips learners with generic cognitive skills especially in the fields of Communication and Life Skills which will stand them in good stead in any self-improvement venture.
