A recent report by the Suid-Afrikaanse Onderwysersunie (SAOU) has highlighted the mounting pressure faced by South African teachers due to heavy workloads, administrative demands, and increasingly difficult school environments. The report, which is based on the SAOU's latest strategic needs assessment, found that 92% of educators surveyed identify high workload and burnout as one of their biggest workplace challenges. This concern is widespread, affecting educators across various age groups and school leadership levels.
The pressure of workload and burnout is not limited to a specific age group or leadership level. The report found that 91% of educators younger than 27, those aged 28 to 43, and those aged 44 to 59 cited high workload and burnout as a major challenge. Similarly, 93% of principals, 89% of deputy principals, and 93% of heads of department identified high workload and burnout as a significant concern. Administrative burden was the second-biggest workplace concern, cited by 84% of respondents.
Danolien van den Berg, who heads the SAOU Help well-being and support initiative, said the findings reflect the emotional toll of working in education. According to Van den Berg, cases coming through the service highlight emotional wellbeing, burnout, and loss, alongside work-related challenges, low mood, bullying, intimidation, anxiety, and stress. She emphasized that commitment to the profession does not necessarily protect teachers from exhaustion.
Van den Berg noted that teachers who are exhausted are not necessarily those who no longer care or want to teach. She stated that it is possible for teachers to love their job deeply and still reach a point where they realize they cannot carry everything on their own anymore. The issue of teacher mental health and workload was also discussed at this year's SAOU Women's Leadership Seminar and Heads Symposium in Gqeberha.
The SAOU is advocating for earlier intervention and support to address the issue of teacher burnout. Van den Berg said that while it is impossible to prevent education from being challenging, it is possible to listen earlier and ensure that teachers receive support before they reach breaking point. The findings of the report come against a wider backdrop of concerns about conditions inside South African schools.
The South African Democratic Teachers' Union (Sadtu) and the SAOU Teachers' Union Legal Services have expressed concerns about threats, intimidation, and violence against educators, which can undermine their ability to carry out their professional responsibilities effectively. Dems Nel, head of the Legal Department at SAOU Teachers' Union Legal Services, said the union has seen an increase in cases involving verbal abuse, threats, intimidation, and violence against teachers.
The Department of Basic Education (DBE) has acknowledged concerns raised by unions but said educator safety is addressed through its broader school-safety framework rather than a stand-alone national strategy. DBE spokesperson Terence Khala said the National School Safety Framework and collaboration with SAPS provide a national approach to identifying and managing threats to learners and educators.
Key points
- 92% of South African educators surveyed identify high workload and burnout as one of their biggest workplace challenges.
- The pressure of workload and burnout affects educators across various age groups and school leadership levels.
- The SAOU is advocating for earlier intervention and support to address the issue of teacher burnout.
