ENG1503
Assignment 1 Semester 2
Unique Number: 814563
Due Date: 15 August 2025
1. Target Audience of the Text
The primary audience comprises education policymakers, school administrators,
and academic researchers invested in addressing systemic challenges within South
Africa’s education sector. The text’s reliance on empirical evidence—such as the
Stellenbosch University Report on Teacher Well-being (Bakharia, 2025)—signals its
relevance to academics seeking data-driven insights into teacher attrition and job
satisfaction. Its engagement with Equal Education’s critique of rural teacher
preparedness highlights key policy considerations for equitable resourcing and strategic
teacher deployment. Furthermore, the inclusion of SADTU’s demands for psychosocial
support services and a dedicated policing unit speaks directly to senior decision-makers
responsible for school safety protocols. The formal register, analytical depth, and
reference to structural and statistical shortcomings position the text within high-level
strategic discourse. This ensures strong engagement from professionals tasked with
developing scalable, research-informed interventions to address South Africa’s evolving
educational challenges.
2. Summary of the Main Points
The text presents a multi-faceted crisis affecting South Africa’s teaching profession,
centring on retention, safety, and equity. Firstly, the Teacher Preferences and Job
Satisfaction in South Africa report (Bakharia, 2025) reveals that half of all educators
intend to leave the profession within a decade, citing excessive workloads,
administrative burdens (70% list this as a stressor), and insufficient psychosocial
support. Secondly, teacher safety is under severe threat, with incidents of physical
assault—particularly in high-crime regions such as KwaZulu-Natal’s townships—
Assignment 1 Semester 2
Unique Number: 814563
Due Date: 15 August 2025
1. Target Audience of the Text
The primary audience comprises education policymakers, school administrators,
and academic researchers invested in addressing systemic challenges within South
Africa’s education sector. The text’s reliance on empirical evidence—such as the
Stellenbosch University Report on Teacher Well-being (Bakharia, 2025)—signals its
relevance to academics seeking data-driven insights into teacher attrition and job
satisfaction. Its engagement with Equal Education’s critique of rural teacher
preparedness highlights key policy considerations for equitable resourcing and strategic
teacher deployment. Furthermore, the inclusion of SADTU’s demands for psychosocial
support services and a dedicated policing unit speaks directly to senior decision-makers
responsible for school safety protocols. The formal register, analytical depth, and
reference to structural and statistical shortcomings position the text within high-level
strategic discourse. This ensures strong engagement from professionals tasked with
developing scalable, research-informed interventions to address South Africa’s evolving
educational challenges.
2. Summary of the Main Points
The text presents a multi-faceted crisis affecting South Africa’s teaching profession,
centring on retention, safety, and equity. Firstly, the Teacher Preferences and Job
Satisfaction in South Africa report (Bakharia, 2025) reveals that half of all educators
intend to leave the profession within a decade, citing excessive workloads,
administrative burdens (70% list this as a stressor), and insufficient psychosocial
support. Secondly, teacher safety is under severe threat, with incidents of physical
assault—particularly in high-crime regions such as KwaZulu-Natal’s townships—
