More than 30 000 teachers resigned from South Africa’s public schools between 2020 and 2024. This wave of teachers resigning in South Africa has raised concerns over growing workloads and staff shortages.
Minister of Basic Education Siviwe Gwarube confirmed in a written parliamentary reply that 30 992 teachers resigned and 1 245 were dismissed during the five-year period. Gauteng recorded the highest resignations. This was followed by KwaZulu-Natal (KZN) and the Western Cape. In contrast, Limpopo and Mpumalanga reported the lowest figures. The trend of resignations by teachers in South Africa is alarming.
“Resignations are driven by retirement, career changes, migration and workload pressures,” Gwarube said. She noted that dismissals follow disciplinary proceedings under the Employment of Educators Act. Furthermore, all serious cases are reported to the South African Council for Educators to prevent re-employment in schools.
While provincial education departments manage recruitment and discipline, Gwarube said the Department of Basic Education oversees human-resource planning. Also, it supports efficient management. She highlighted efforts to strengthen HR systems, speed up disciplinary processes, and develop teacher retention and recruitment strategies. Reasons why many teachers resign in South Africa are varied.
Priority areas include foundation-phase teaching, mathematics, science and technology, and positions in rural or under-resourced schools. “We continue to work with provinces. This ensures that critical teaching posts are filled and that schools are adequately staffed,” Gwarube added. The situation highlights the urgency of addressing the issue of teachers resigning in South Africa.
