Half of teachers consider quitting — stress, admin burden and low pay among top reasons: survey

A new nationwide survey has revealed dissatisfaction among teachers, with half saying they are considering leaving the profession within the next 10 years.

The alarming findings come from the Teacher Demographic Dividend (TDD) project conducted in partnership with Stellenbosch University’s Research on Socio-Economic Policy unit.

“Results from the online survey reveal half of in-service teachers want to leave the profession in the next 10 years. While it is unlikely so many teachers will leave the profession, given job market constraints, the finding does point to high levels of dissatisfaction among teachers,” the report stated.

The survey found stress and job dissatisfaction are the two leading factors driving discontent.

A staggering 70% of teachers identified excessive administrative work as their main source of stress, followed closely by a lack of work-life balance, mental and physical health concerns and the pressure to meet high academic expectations.

“The main reason cited for wanting to leave the profession was 35% for being overworked, followed by not earning enough at 34%,” the report said.

Alarmingly, 68% of teachers reported teaching does not allow them to have a work-life balance, 32% said it negatively affects their mental health, and 24% said it affects their physical health.

Teachers in better-resourced, fee-charging schools reported higher levels of stress.

“Interestingly, teachers in mid-fee and high-fee schools reported feeling more stressed than those in no-fee and low-fee schools,” the report noted.

This is largely attributed to greater pressure from principals and parents and increased administrative expectations. The survey found 82% of teachers in mid-fee schools and 79% in high-fee schools said they struggle to maintain work-life balance.

The report also revealed the burden of administrative duties not only increases stress but also takes away from teaching time.

“Teachers raised many concerns about administration. The concerns ranged from the sheer amount of administration to the repetitive nature of the tasks, to the perception that many documents need to be prepared that are seldom looked at by managers or district officials,” the report said.

Teachers in rural areas face a different set of challenges. While they reported slightly lower levels of stress related to administration, they grapple with inadequate infrastructure, lack of internet connectivity and under-resourced schools.

Many reported having to pay for pupils’ stationery out of their own pockets.

Pupil poverty, ill-discipline, and emotional and behavioural issues among pupils were also highlighted as stressors, particularly in no-fee and low-fee schools.

“Teachers reported having to take on the role of social workers and counsellors for pupils who faced significant challenges at home.”

The study also revealed 71% of teachers rated rural areas as their least preferred work environment, with 40% saying nothing would convince them to work in a rural area.

This has serious implications for rural education, with the report warning: “Rural schools are likely to experience worse teacher shortages than those in urban areas.”

While financial incentives for rural teachers have been discontinued, the report suggested alternative strategies were required to attract teachers to underserved areas, such as subsidised accommodation, teaching assistants, and school fee subsidies for teachers’ children.

Geographically, teachers overwhelmingly preferred working in the Western Cape and Gauteng, with the report citing stronger departmental support and better resourcing as key drivers.

A separate report from the 2030 Reading Panel revealed about 80% of grade 3 pupils are unable to read for meaning in any language.

The panel called for urgent intervention, highlighting that President Cyril Ramaphosa and former basic education minister Angie Motshekga had previously committed to ensuring all children are able to read for meaning by 2030. 

Despite the troubling statistics, younger teachers showed more optimism about the profession.

“Interestingly, younger teachers (30 years and younger) reported higher levels of job satisfaction than older teachers,” the report noted.

However, a significant portion of the younger cohort also cited being overworked and underpaid as major concerns.

One of the report’s most urgent recommendations is to reduce the administrative burden on teachers.

“Administrative responsibilities placed on teachers often compete with pupil contact time and thus jeopardise the quality of education teachers can provide,” the report warned.

The TDD survey also said teachers in high-fee schools, in particular, are expected to develop their own materials, set original assessments and meet stringent documentation requirements, often at the cost of their personal wellbeing.

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