JGF-SACE MoU to boost support system for new teachers

Image source: pch.vector from Freepik

The signing, held at the SACE head office in Centurion on Tuesday, 24 June 2025, sees the JGF becoming the first organisation outside of the Department of Basic Education (DBE) to enter into an MoU with SACE.

Providing crucial support

While SACE has recently partnered with seven tertiary institutions to improve initial teacher training, the Jakes Gerwel Fellowship fills a crucial post-qualification gap. Reportedly, almost one in four new South African teachers leave the profession within their first three years, often due to a lack of structured support and professional guidance.

Through its Newly Qualified Teacher (NQT) Wraparound Support Programme, JGF looks to offer sustained, practical support that includes one-on-one coaching, peer learning through Communities of Practice, and access to mental health and psychosocial support.

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These services are focused primarily on young teachers placed in quintile 1–3 schools, the most under-resourced environments in the country, but where over 70% of South African learners are enrolled, many of whom face extreme socioeconomic challenges.

The new MoU formalises this support, reducing red tape, aligning with national standards, and ensuring that NQTs are not only registered and recognised but also equipped to thrive in their profession.

Aligning standards

The MoU complements JGF’s coaching-based induction model by ensuring alignment with SACE’s Professional Teaching Standards, which define national expectations for ethical and professional conduct. This alignment helps to uphold the integrity and dignity of the teaching profession while ensuring consistency in support across institutions.

Another key benefit of this partnership is teachers supported by JGF will receive assistance to become officially registered with SACE.

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The agreement also strengthens JGF’s role as a national convenor, bringing together education stakeholders to champion the needs of early-career teachers. As the only entity outside of the DBE with such formal recognition, JGF is well positioned to drive systems-level change in how new teachers are supported, retained, and empowered.

By working closely with SACE and aligning to national standards, JGF is helping to professionalise teaching in a collaborative, coherent, and impactful way, ensuring that no new teacher walks the journey alone.