Tanja de Vos, March 2023
There have been several issues plaguing the South African education system, such as inequality, underfunding, a lack of training for teachers, and high dropout rates, among others. Educators who work in underprivileged communities often suffer from issues such as these, which can have a significant psychological effect on them. Among the psychological effects that could occur are the following:
Due to a lack of financial support and resources and the high demands of the job, educators working in underfunded and under-resourced schools may become burned out and dissatisfied with their jobs due to the lack of resources and support available to them.
There is a possibility that educators may experience elevated levels of stress and anxiety due to systemic issues such as poverty, lack of basic needs, and low educational performance among their students, which can negatively impact their ability to be successful teachers.
There are many reasons teachers may develop low morale and low motivation because they work under poor conditions. We do not recognize them for their efforts fairly and equitably.
Mental health disruptions: Teachers may become depressed because of prominent levels of stress and anxiety caused by their working conditions, which may lead to mental health problems, such as depression.
The lack of trust that teachers have in the education system and the cynicism that teachers have towards their ability to make a positive impact on the lives of their students may lead them to lose faith in the system and become cynical about what they can do. This is due to systemic issues such as corruption and inequality.
There is a lack of opportunities for educators to gain professional development: Some educators may feel that because of poor teacher training and a lack of professional development opportunities, they lack the necessary qualifications and training to effectively instruct their students.
Educators should take note that these psychological effects may differ depending on the individual educator. This is based on the specific circumstances in which they find themselves because of their job. For those who wish to mitigate these psychological effects and aspire to provide educators with the support and opportunities they require to succeed, it is essential to address the issues facing the South African education system, such as inequality, underfunding, and poor teacher training.
De Vos Education 