Department explains multi-grade teaching  

Kwa-Thema – A parent voiced concerns about her Grade Two child sharing a class with Grade Three learners at Sechaba Primary School.
The parent claimed that one teacher is required to teach grades Two and Three learners simultaneously.
According to Gauteng Department of Education spokesperson Steve Mabona, this is called multi-grade teaching.
“The abovementioned school has enough teachers. Accordingly, teachers are allocated according to the number of learners. Multi-grade teaching refers to a classroom setup where a single teacher teaches learners of different grades or ages. Instead of the traditional model where each grade has its own class and teacher, multi-grade teaching combines learners from two or more grade levels into one class,” he said.
Mabona explained that multi-grade teaching commonly occurs in rural or remote schools with fewer learners and fewer teachers.
“A single teacher might have to handle multiple grade levels to ensure all learners receive an education in small schools, as in the case of Sechaba Primary, where a school doesn’t have enough learners to fill a full class for each grade.
“Take note, in SA primary schools, the teacher-learner ratio is one to 40. Multi-grade teaching can be a quick, effective way to continue education with limited resources,” he added.
Mabona explained that Sechaba does not have enough learners to justify separate classes for each grade to be taught in different classrooms.
Multi-grade teaching ensures learners of different ages and academic levels can still attend school and be supported by teachers qualified to teach the phase.
“By combining multiple grade levels into a single class, schools can maximise available resources, like teachers, classroom space and teaching materials.
“Teachers tailor lessons to the needs of learners in different grades, creating opportunities for peer learning and fostering a more flexible, adaptable teaching approach,” he said.
Mabona said the department is facilitating a process to merge the school with neighbouring schools.