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8,000 teachers get free training

MORE than 8,000 teachers in Gauteng and North West are currently receiving free training from the Macmillan Teacher Campus, a teacher training provider, to assist them in teaching English as a first additional language.

"Since English first additional language is to be introduced in Grade 1 in 2012 as part of the new curriculum and assessment policy statement, we realised that teachers need to be trained," said Macmillan Teacher Campus national manager Caren Maree.

"Although there are similarities between the teaching of an additional language and teaching a home language, there are many important differences that need to be taken into account.

"Macmillan Teacher Campus decided to train foundation phase teachers in North West and Gauteng in the teaching of first additional language at no cost to these departments."

The quality of learning and teaching campaign was launched in 2008 by the then Department of Education and calls on organisations to assume responsibility by giving support for the improvement of the quality of education.

Each primary school in these two provinces can send three teachers - one from each grade in the foundation phase - to attend the workshops.

Claire O'Connell, director of African Education Week, said: "The Macmillan Teacher Campus workshops are a perfect, inspiring example of how the private sector and the government can work together to improve the quality of education."

O'Connell added: "Macmillan Teacher Campus plays a critical role in education in Southern Africa and the company believes in giving back. With their vast experience in teacher training, their workshops contain all the elements to empower teachers in many facets of teaching."

The fifth African Education Week is taking place from July 6 to July 8 at the Sandton Convention Centre in Johannesburg.