A Different Path to Becoming a Teacher

Parallel Program with University Degree

You complete your full Bachelor of Education through distance learning at an accredited university (UNISA, Wits, University of Johannesburg, or North West University). You must be registered for B.Ed. studies in either Foundation phase or Intermediate phase.

Our program runs parallel to—but separate from—your university degree studies. While you complete your university coursework independently, our program provides comprehensive wrap-around supervision and mentorship that translates your theoretical learning into classroom competence. We support you academically to maintain at least 60% average through continuous assessment aligned to your university content.

Training That Prepares You for Any School Context

You’re recruited and placed in a Quintile 1 no-fee rural primary school within proximity of your home community, with placement aligned to language requirements in your host schools. This builds deep local connections over 3.5 years while ensuring linguistic and cultural alignment.

Through practice in very challenging school environments—where learners experience poverty, violence, food insecurity, and trauma—you develop competencies to teach effectively in all school contexts. If you can teach well here, you can teach anywhere. Program content is specialized for Foundation versus Intermediate phase practice, with developmentally appropriate strategies for your specific grade level.

Comprehensive hand-holding support and emotional intelligence training—not as theoretical modules, but as daily applied competencies—build your resilience and competence. You’re not just placed there—you’re comprehensively prepared for the reality you’ll face, with work readiness support that helps you thrive, not just survive.

Structured Monthly Cycle

You participate in an innovative monthly cycle: 1 week of intensive phase-specific workshops at hub locations for peer engagement, collaborative learning, role play, and skills practice, followed by 3 weeks in your host school immediately applying what you learned with continuous mentor support. This cycle builds the peer support networks and professional community essential for teacher retention in rural contexts.

Through weekly onsite mentorship by experienced educators, weekly online mentorship via ThutoApp, and daily supervision in your host school, you systematically connect your university theoretical learning to classroom application. Workshop topics: inclusive education, mother-tongue based bilingual literacy, differentiated instruction, trauma-informed practice, emotional intelligence, and strategies for resource-constrained contexts—all tailored to your specific phase.

In-Person Observations and Comprehensive Quality Support

You complete structured tasks in your host school—assistant teaching, lesson observations, lesson presentations, peer group discussions, and lesson plan submissions—all monitored to develop your reflective practice, critical thinking, and practical application skills.

Your onsite mentor observes your lesson presentations in person in your actual classroom, followed by structured mentor feedback sessions where you receive detailed guidance on your teaching practice and classroom management. Your online mentor reviews your lesson plans for quality and curriculum alignment.

Real-time performance tracking means you receive immediate support when you struggle—mentors intervene to help you succeed rather than waiting until you fail.

Employment and Professional Development

You receive a monthly stipend for 3.5 years—genuine employment addressing youth unemployment while building your career. Geolocation attendance monitoring establishes professional attendance habits from day one, addressing the teacher absenteeism crisis by building the right expectations during training. You develop workplace competencies: consistent attendance, task management, technology proficiency, and reflective practice.

Employment Pathway

Through our partnership with the Limpopo Department of Education, graduates transition into teaching positions. You complete your degree prepared—not just qualified—to teach effectively in all school contexts, with deep community connections built over 3.5 years, demonstrated competence in inclusive education and MTBBL verified through continuous quality monitoring, professional employment experience, and established attendance habits that will serve you throughout your career.