Want to study teaching part-time in South Africa? Then look no further than our article, where we explain how you can achieve your dream of becoming a teacher while working another job or building skills!
Continued education courses are often offered as part-time courses to accommodate the schedules of full-time workers who still need to learn valuable skills to further their careers, learn a new trade, or change careers while still bringing in income.
We’re here to help you find the right fit with a list of some of the best institutions in South Africa that offer part-time studies in teaching.
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How Does Studying Teaching Part-Time Work?
There is a range of different types of part-time teaching courses available to students who would like to become teachers. These courses offer different modes of teaching, which range from full-time studying at the campus to studying via distance learning.
Before making any big decisions, it’s a good idea to understand what all your options are when it comes to part-time teaching, what your teaching courses will require of you and how they will fit into your schedule.
Choosing which method works best for you will also depend on your specific needs as a student. Maybe you prefer face-to-face interaction, or you might already thrive academically completely on your own.
If you have a preferred approach to study, you’ll be happy to know that there are three part-time study options below that speak to different learning approaches:
Modular Learning Teacher Training
This form of part-time learning allows students to attend class in modules.
The college offering these types of classes will expect you to put time aside to attend class in scheduled block weeks. These classes typically last for one or two weeks, depending on the course.
This type of studying may take longer to complete and you will have to manage your time really well to attend classes.
Blended Learning Teaching
Blended learning is a combination of distance learning and classroom learning.
You will have some sort of fixed schedule where you must attend part of your classes on campus, but most of your learning will take place online.
Distance learning, like blended learning, is also done online. However, with Distance Learning there is no need to attend classes or to be location bound. You can study from anywhere in the world and still get your qualifications.
Your course material is sent to you and you submit assignments online.
The great thing about this method of learning is that you can prioritise your studies on your time. With Distance Learning, you get to work through your coursework at your own pace.
Where Can I Study Teaching Part-Time in South Africa?
If you’re interested in becoming a teacher, South Africa has many places for you to study part-time and become qualified.
This includes institutions that allow you to teach online in South Africa, as well as blended learning options for those who wish to complete their teaching course with online and in-person classes.
With that in mind, here is a list of the top institutions with part-time options to study teaching in South Africa.
Study Teaching Part-Time in Cape Town
There are a range of top educational institutions in Cape Town that offer part-time learning options for studying teaching.
UNISA (Cape Town)
The Cape Town campus of UNISA is located in Parow, Cape Town and supports approximately 30 000 students.
UNISA offers a Higher Certificate in Education course. This Higher Certificate in Education is the only Higher Certificate that will be considered for admission into the UNISA Bachelor of Education Foundation qualifications.
UNISA presents this qualification using both online and distance learning modes. The duration of this Higher Certificate course depends on the modules you select. You need approximately:
- 6 to 8 hours per week for semester modules.
- 4 to 6 hours per week for year modules.
The fees for the Higher Certificate offered by UNISA start at R18 000.
University of the Western Cape (UWC)
The University of the Western Cape (UWC) is located in Bellville, Cape Town and is home to more than 23 000 students who engage in undergraduate and postgraduate programmes.
UWC’s Faculty of Education currently offers a wide range of professional and academic programmes at undergraduate and postgraduate levels.
The University of the Western Cape’s teaching programmes cover fields such as teacher education (both pre-service and in-service), adult education, higher education and vocational education.
The teaching programmes offered by UWC are designed to develop the intellectual, academic and professional capacity of students in teaching and related professions.
The fees start at R34 600 per programme.
Mancosa (Cape Town)
Mancosa is a private higher education institution and a leading distance educational provider. Their Cape Town campus is located in Newlands, Cape Town.
Mancosa offers a Postgraduate Certificate in Education (PGCE) (Further Education and Training Teaching) through distance learning – making this programme flexible so you can study teaching part-time.
The fees for this programme start at R33 950 per annum.
Find out more information about Mancosa including how to apply to their institute.
Study Teaching Part-Time in Johannesburg
If you are Based in Johannesburg and looking to study teaching part-time, you should consider these institutions.
University of Johannesburg (UJ)
The University of Johannesburg (UJ) is a public university located in Johannesburg and now offers part-time online accredited qualifications in education studies.
They offer the Bachelor of Education Honours in Education Leadership and Management which requires 21 study hours per week over a duration of approximately 20 months.
Fees for this programme start at R32 940 per year.
Mancosa (Johannesburg)
Mancosa is a private higher education institution and a leading distance educational provider. Their Johannesburg campus is located in Auckland Park, Johannesburg.
Mancosa offers a Postgraduate Certificate in Education in Further Education and Training Teaching through distance learning – making this programme flexible so you can study teaching part-time.
The fees for this programme start at R33 950 per annum.
Find out more information about Mancosa including how to apply to their institute.
The fees start at R34 600 per programme.
Edutel Higher Education
Edutel is a group of institutes consisting of four private colleges and one private higher education institution located in Roodepoort, Johannesburg.
Edutel offers various courses in Education and a good start would be their Diploma in Grade R Teaching. This course is offered through distance learning over 4 years for part-time studies.
Their fees start at R19 999 per annum and they offer student loans through Fundi!
Foundation for Professional Development (FPD)
The Foundation for Professional Development (FPD) is located in Pretoria, Johannesburg.
FPD offers numerous formal registered qualifications and short courses from their School of Education and their courses are available in distance, contact tuition and e-learning formats.
FDP also offers a Higher Certificate in Early Childhood Care and Education course via e-learning over a duration of 12 to 24 months.
Fees start at R20 500 per year.
Study Teaching Part-Time in KwaZulu Natal
These are the top educational institutions in KwaZulu Natal that offer part-time learning options for studying teaching online and in person.
Mancosa (Durban)
Mancosa is a private higher education institution and a leading distance educational provider. Their KwaZulu Natal campus is located in Durban, KwaZulu Natal.
Mancosa offers a Postgraduate Certificate in Education in Further Education and Training Teaching through distance learning – making this programme flexible so you can study teaching part-time.
The fees for this programme start at R33 950 per annum.
Find out more information about Mancosa including how to apply to their institute.
Berea Technical College
Berea Technical College is a leading private education college in KwaZulu-Natal.
Berea Technical College has now entered the distance education realm, with all National N Diplomas and National N Certificates available via distance learning, offering a full bouquet of over 50 Department of Education and Training (DHET) approved qualifications.
If you are working full time and would like to pursue your teaching qualification, have a look at their Diploma in Educare for teaching part-time in KwaZulu Natal. Their National N Diploma includes 4 years of theory and 18 months of in-service training.
To find out more about their fee structures, contact Berea Technical College.
Study Teaching part-time in Northern Cape
These are the institutions based in the Northern Cape that offer part-time learning options for studying teaching in-person and online.
Sol Plaatje University (SPU)
The Sol Plaatje University is a public university and is located in Kimberly, Northern Cape and is also the first university to be established in the Northern Cape Province.
Sol Plaatje University offers the Bachelor of Education as a part-time teaching programme that is completed over 2 years.
For tuition fees, you will have to contact Sol Plaatje University directly.
UNISA (Kimberley)
The Northern Cape offices of UNISA is located in Kimberley, Northern Cape.
UNISA offers a Higher Certificate in Education course. This Higher Certificate is the only Higher Certificate that will be considered for admission into the UNISA Bachelor of Education Foundation and Intermediate phase qualifications.
UNISA presents this qualification using both online and distance learning modes. The qualification for this Higher Certificate is NQF 5.
The duration of this Higher Certificate course depends on the modules you select. You need approximately
- 6 to 8 hours per week for semester modules.
- 4 to 6 hours per week for year modules.
The fees for this course start at R18 000.
Read our article to find out more about How to Apply to UNISA in 2022.
Study Teaching part-time in East London
Study teaching part-time at these educational institutions based in East London.
Mancosa (East London)
Mancosa is a private higher education institution and a leading distance educational provider. Their East London campus is located in Vincent, East London.
Mancosa offers a Postgraduate Certificate in Education in Further Education and Training Teaching through distance learning – making this programme flexible so you can study teaching part-time.
The fees for this programme start at R33 950 per annum.
Find out more information about Mancosa including how to apply to their institute.
University of Fort Hare (UFH)
The University of Fort Hare is a public university in Alice, East London.
The main campus of the University of Fort Hare is situated in the fertile valley, some 120 kilometres due west of East London. The Campus has over 8000 registered students, the majority of which live in this small town and contribute considerably to the development of its economy.
The University of Fort Hare offers an Advanced Certificate in Foundation Phase Teaching (FET) at their Faculty of Education. The duration of this programme is 2 years.
Fees start at R26 555 per annum.
Find out more information about Fort Hare including how to apply to their institute.
Who Can Become a Teacher in South Africa?
Almost anyone who is willing to complete some teaching studies can become a teacher. Typically these will be:
- learners who are currently in Grade 12 and want to study teaching as a primary degree;
- graduates who want to complete a teaching qualification;
- people who want to make a career change and become teachers; and
- unemployed people who want to become teachers.
What Qualifications Do You Need to Become a Teacher in South Africa?
You will typically need some sort of higher qualification to become a teacher which will depend on a couple of things, like what age group/s you want to teach and which subjects you want to teach.
Broadly there are two ways to become a teacher:
- You can either complete a four-year Bachelor of Education degree or if you already have an appropriate first degree,
- You can do a one-year Advanced Diploma in Education.
Once you have your qualifications you simply need to register with the South African Council for Educators.
To become a teacher in South Africa, these are qualifications you need to consider:
Diploma in Teaching
A diploma in teaching will often allow you to specialise in a certain field or subject of teaching which is usually awarded through a technical or vocational school. A diploma in teaching usually takes 18 months in South Africa.
Undergraduate Degree
Pursuing a Bachelor of Education degree (BEd) takes up to 4 years depending on the plan you select for your studies and is ideal for students who know from the start that they want to become a teacher.
Postgraduate Courses
A Postgraduate Certificate in Education (PGCE) is the best option for those who decide later on to switch careers and enter the field of teaching. The PGCE is also a good option for those who have not yet begun their career but have already gained a bachelor’s degree.
Generally, you qualify to be a professional high school teacher in a specific subject (usually the subjects covered in your bachelor’s degree) if you take this route.
Becoming A Teacher in South Africa
If you are seriously curious about what you need to do to become a professional teacher in South Africa, there are a few things you’ll need to decide:
- What age group/s do you want to teach?
- What subjects do you want to teach?
What Are The Different Teaching Age Groups
Before you go any further, stop and think about what age group you want to teach. Do you want to be dealing with sticky toddlers or hormonal teenagers?
Age groups are clustered into phases as follows:
- Foundation Phase (5 to 9 years old): Grades R – 3
- Intermediate Phase (10 to 12 years old): Grades 4 – 6
- Senior Phase (13 to 15 years old): Grades 7 – 9
- Further Education and Training (FET) Phase (16 to 18 years old): Grades 10 – 12
What Subjects Can You Teach?
Next, you’ll need to think about what you actually want to teach. Mathematics, English, Afrikaans, Physics, Chemistry – the choice is yours.
Whatever subjects you ultimately decide on, you need to think about what you’re going to have to study.
Both of these routes allow you to be registered as a qualified teacher:
- a 4-year Bachelor of Education (BEd) or
- a 3-to-4-year Bachelor degree, followed by a 1-year Postgraduate Certificate in Education (PGCE)
For some, it may be the case that they are unable to find work with their existing qualification, but by adding a one-year certification to their existing qualification, they may find it far easier to find employment due to the shortage of qualified teachers in South Africa.
This is the minimum teaching qualification that is required to enter the teaching field. If, however, you aspire to become a head of a department or principal, then further postgraduate teaching qualifications would stand you in good stead. Doing a postgraduate online teaching degree can be done part-time without a break from your career.
How Long Does it Take to Become a Teacher in South Africa?
To become a teacher in South Africa you need to consider the whole scope: from learning the basics of education and obtaining practical experience teaching in schools.
You can choose different options when you enrol and factors that can affect the length of your studies. Depending on the route you take, full-time courses usually take three to four years, while part-time courses take four to six years.
What are the Opportunities Available to Teachers Once Qualified?
There is always a huge demand for teachers. If you are passionate about teaching and enjoy working with young people, then this may be for you.
Teaching allows you to deepen your understanding of a subject and can go beyond just teaching others. Over and above teaching, there are a variety of careers to explore within the education sector from governance, to training and academia.
Once you have completed your qualifications and wish to teach in South Africa, you must register with the South African Council for Educators (SACE).
Depending on the programme you have and completed, undergraduate programmes allow students to teach the following:
- BEd Foundation Phase programme: Students will be qualified to teach Grade R to Grade 3
- BEd Senior Phase and FET (Further Education and Training) Teaching programme: Students will be qualified to teach Grade 7 to 12
Postgraduate studies, completed after finishing an undergraduate degree, allow students to teach the following:
- Postgraduate Certificate in Education qualifies educators to teach Grade 10 to Grade 12
Becoming a teacher is more than just dictating from a textbook. This role has great responsibility and by following this path, you will shape a young individual’s future. It is not a degree that should be taken lightly!
A Postgraduate Certificate in Education (PGCE) may be the next step on your career path.
How Much Does it Cost to Study Teaching Part-Time in South Africa?
The costs of studying to teach part-time in South Africa generally range between R18,000 and R40,000 per annum; this depends on the course duration and the qualifications that come with them.
Some institutes offer a limited number of bursaries to help cover these costs otherwise you may need to seek student finance to help cover the costs.
Fund Your Part-Time Teaching with Fundi
If you are worried about how to fund your studies, Fundi will be able to support you. Fundi provides students with financing for tuition costs, textbooks & study material, accommodation and more.
Find out if you qualify for a Fundi study loan by trying out the loan calculator.
