{"id":21897,"date":"2020-08-11T08:45:58","date_gmt":"2020-08-11T08:45:58","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/gometa.co.za\/info\/?page_id=21897"},"modified":"2020-08-11T08:45:58","modified_gmt":"2020-08-11T08:45:58","slug":"how-much-teachers-earn-in-south-africa","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/uni1.co.za\/articles\/how-much-teachers-earn-in-south-africa\/","title":{"rendered":"How much teachers earn in South Africa?"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<div class=\"advads-atf\" style=\"margin-top: 15px;margin-bottom: 20px;\" id=\"advads-2011041007\"><script async src=\"https:\/\/pagead2.googlesyndication.com\/pagead\/js\/adsbygoogle.js?client=ca-pub-9198760278752355\"\n     crossorigin=\"anonymous\"><\/script>\n<!-- Responsive ads atf -->\n<ins class=\"adsbygoogle\"\n     style=\"display:block\"\n     data-ad-client=\"ca-pub-9198760278752355\"\n     data-ad-slot=\"8381596201\"\n     data-ad-format=\"auto\"\n     data-full-width-responsive=\"true\"><\/ins>\n<script>\n     (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({});\n<\/script><\/div><p>Johannesburg &#8211; Finance Minister Tito Mboweni delivered his Budget Speech on Wednesday afternoon to mixed reactions and applause, and one of the claims he made had many startled.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n<p>The minister\u2019s imposition of a R2.89 Sin Tax on 750ml whiskey spirits left Energy Minister Gwede Mantashe sweating, but another claim he made about teacher\u2019s salary left many on Twitter perplexed.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n<p>In announcing personal income tax reliefs for the new financial year, Mboweni used the example of a teacher earning on average R460 000 per annum. He said this teacher would receive a tax relief of around R3400 for the 2020\/21 financial year.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n<p>\u201cTo support growth, we propose no major tax increases. Indeed, there is some real personal income tax relief. This Budget means that a teacher who earns on average R460 000 a year, will see their taxes reduced by nearly R3 400 a year,\u201d Mboweni said in his Budget Speech.<\/p>\n\n\n<figure><iframe allowfullscreen=\"true\" class=\"\" src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/embed\/index.html?creatorScreenName=IOL&amp;dnt=false&amp;embedId=twitter-widget-0&amp;frame=false&amp;hideCard=false&amp;hideThread=false&amp;id=1232745813421543427&amp;lang=en&amp;origin=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.iol.co.za%2Fnews%2Fsouth-africa%2Fdo-sa-teachers-really-earn-r460k-per-annum-on-average-43609215&amp;siteScreenName=IOL&amp;theme=light&amp;widgetsVersion=223fc1c4%3A1596143124634&amp;width=550px\"><\/iframe><\/figure>\n\n\n<figure><iframe allowfullscreen=\"true\" class=\"\" src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/embed\/index.html?creatorScreenName=IOL&amp;dnt=false&amp;embedId=twitter-widget-1&amp;frame=false&amp;hideCard=false&amp;hideThread=false&amp;id=1232646739183775744&amp;lang=en&amp;origin=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.iol.co.za%2Fnews%2Fsouth-africa%2Fdo-sa-teachers-really-earn-r460k-per-annum-on-average-43609215&amp;siteScreenName=IOL&amp;theme=light&amp;widgetsVersion=223fc1c4%3A1596143124634&amp;width=550px\"><\/iframe><\/figure>\n\n\n<p>Mboweni has been accused of misleading the public with the inference to teachers earnings. Teacher unions have rejected the assertion that teachers earned an average of R460 000 per annum, adding that it was \u2018impossible\u2019.&nbsp;<br \/>Relying on adjusted salary data for teachers as communicated by National Treasury in July last year, we will attempt to unpack how much different school-based teachers, heads of departments, deputy principals and principals earn. South Africa has more than 25 000 public schools, and it employs over 400 000 teachers in the public service.&nbsp;<br \/><strong>TEACHERS&nbsp;<\/strong>The data shows that Post Level 1 school teachers &#8211; which are the majority in the sector and the lowest earners, earn between R210 000 per annum and upto R618 000. Post Level 1 teachers include underqualified teachers, teachers, senior teachers and master teachers. There is a distinction in the remuneration of teachers, with those underqualified with diploma qualifications for example, being paid with a \u2018Relative Education Qualification Value (REQV)\u2019 of 13. &nbsp;<br \/>Teachers on REQV 13 earn the least, earning between the minimum amount of R210 000 and up to R465 000. Qualified teachers, typically those with a four year degree and REQV 14, earn between a minimum of R278 000 and up to R618 000.&nbsp;<br \/>Senior teachers on REQV 13 earn between a minimum of R330 000 to R465 000, while those on the REQV 14, earn between R330 000 to R618 000. Master teachers on REQV 13 earn between R387 000 to R465 000, while those on REQV 14, earn between R387 000 to R618 000.&nbsp;<br \/><strong>HODs and DEPUTY PRINCIPALS<\/strong>For teachers who are part of the school management teams &#8211; these include heads of departments, deputy principals and principals, the minimum salaries are typically higher. A department head teacher hired on Post Level 2, earns between R346 000 to R859 000 per year, while a deputy principal on Post Level 3, earns a minimum R413 000 and a maximum of upto R930 000.&nbsp;<br \/><strong>PRINCIPALS<\/strong>Salaries of principals range between a minimum of R346 000 per annum, and go as high as just over R1m per year. The size of a school and the school population is factored when determining the salary of a principal, with principals heading smaller schools typically being paid less.&nbsp;<br \/>The lowest paid principals, referred to as level one principals &#8211; these are schools with under 200 pupils, are paid a minimum of R346 000 and a maximum of R741 000 per annum. Level two principals are found at schools with under 450 pupils, and they are paid a minimum of R413 000 and up to R859 000 per year.&nbsp;<br \/>Level three principals are found at schools with under 750 pupils, and they are paid as low as R494 000 to a high of R987 000. Level four principals at schools with over 1000 pupils are paid a minimum of R570 000 and up to just over R1m. Level five principals, those at schools with over 1400 pupils, earn a minimum of R697 000 and up to over R1m, per year.&nbsp;<br \/><strong><em>** All figures do not take into account benefits such as medical aid, pension and 13th cheques.&nbsp;<\/em><\/strong><br \/>Several calls and SMSes were made to Treasury and Basic&nbsp; Education spokespersons, but they did not respond. &nbsp;<br \/>Speaking to IOL on Thursday, Basil Manuel, the executive director at the National Professional Teachers Organisation (Naptosa), said Mboweni\u2019s R460 000 figure was \u2018ridiculous\u2019 and \u2018impossible\u2019.&nbsp;<br \/>\u201cThat figure is wrong, anyone hearing that will think that teachers are earning these fantastic salaries and that is not the case. Teachers are now going to start phoning us and saying are we on the wrong salary notch,\u201d he said.&nbsp;<br \/>Manuel said the majority of teachers in the public service were Post Level 1 teachers and explained that it was very difficult for teachers to aggressively move up in salary notches. He said typically, it took 10 years to move up 10 salary notches.&nbsp;<br \/>\u201cGetting a new qualification does not change your notch. No one is going to leap from a notch of 163 to 200 overnight, unless if you are (politically) connected, you move from being a teacher to a deputy director,\u201d he said. &nbsp;<br \/>He said teachers getting new qualifications were rewarded with a once off payment benefit for upskilling themselves from the department, but he conceded that the teachers did become promotable. &nbsp;<br \/>\u201cWe have teachers with PHDs that are on Post Level 1, not everyone wants to be a principal, not everyone has the administrative patience that principals are required to, but they should be remunerated better, that is something we need to improve on,\u201d he said. &nbsp;<br \/>Mugwena Maluleke, the secretary general of the SA Democratic Teachers Union (Sadtu), said teachers were paid closer to an average of R280 000, not R460 000. He said the country had eradicated unqualified teachers who used to be hired under the REQV band of 10, 11 and 12. He said the majority of teachers in the system were employed on REQV 14 &#8211; which typically meant they had a degree.&nbsp;<br \/>\u201cThe teachers are paid at R280 000 on average, I think the minister may have been referring to a baseline,\u201d he said.&nbsp;<br \/>He added it was impossible to have an average of R460 000 for teacher\u2019s remuneration as there were over 25 000 schools in the country, which equated to 25 000 principals and an estimated 50 000 deputy principals.&nbsp;<br \/>\u201cSo even if we say each of the principals earns R600 000 and we compute the deputy principals at R500 000, that would still not bring the average for teachers to R460 000, it is impossible when the majority of teachers are on Post Level 1,\u201d he said.&nbsp;<br \/>Meanwhile, Sadtu said they would not back down after government announced plans to renege on a three year wage agreement for the public service.&nbsp;<br \/>\u201cThe employer will have to think seriously about the implications and unintended consequences of what they are saying. They want to undermine the freedom of associations as a fundamental right.&nbsp;<br \/>\u201cIf there are problems, they must talk to us in time and not wait for two months for the adjustments to kick in,\u201d he said. &nbsp;<br \/>Maluleke said principals and deputy principals had for the past two years received no salary increments after the unions compromised during negotiations in a hope that the department would hire more teachers, nurses and police in the public service. &nbsp;<br \/>\u201cWe need more people to be employed. It is a shame that we have people dying on stretchers at hospitals and clinics because our nurses are overburdened and at schools we have increasing class sizes.&nbsp;<br \/>\u201cFor two years our deputy and principals get no increases. We sacrificed and they did not hire people to address the issues. What about our sacrifices that we have made,\u201d said Maluleke. &nbsp;<br \/>Manuel said instead of inflating the average remuneration of teachers publicly, teachers deserved to be paid fairly for what they endured at school. \u201cMany teachers are at hard-to-teach schools, they run the gauntlet everyday, not only at schools, but outside of school they may have to deal with very difficult parents, and that makes life extremely difficult. &nbsp;<br \/>\u201cIt is heartbreaking when you find teachers in their 50s and they say they are burnt out, they can\u2019t cope anymore. They look at the money they get and they say it\u2019s not worth it anymore.&nbsp;<br \/>\u201cIf life was good and parents were supportive, life would be a little easier &#8211; South Africans are getting a lot of good teachers on the cheap,\u201d said Manuel.&nbsp;<\/p><div class=\"advads-content\" id=\"advads-2144164175\"><div style=\"width: 300px; padding: 20px; margin: 0 auto; border: 1px solid #ddd; border-radius: 8px; background-color: #f9f9f9; text-align: center; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;\">\r\n    <p style=\"font-size: 16px; margin: 0 0 10px;\">Need Information or Confused about Something ? <\/p>\r\n    <a href=\"https:\/\/onlineapplications.co.za\/ask\/\" style=\"display: inline-block; padding: 10px 20px; background-color: #007BFF; color: #fff; text-decoration: none; border-radius: 4px; transition: background-color 0.3s;\">Ask a Question<\/a>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<\/div><div class=\"advads-btf\" style=\"margin-top: 15px;margin-bottom: 20px;\" id=\"advads-1312790381\"><script async src=\"https:\/\/pagead2.googlesyndication.com\/pagead\/js\/adsbygoogle.js?client=ca-pub-9198760278752355\"\n     crossorigin=\"anonymous\"><\/script>\n<!-- Responsive ads btf -->\n<ins class=\"adsbygoogle\"\n     style=\"display:block\"\n     data-ad-client=\"ca-pub-9198760278752355\"\n     data-ad-slot=\"5513273173\"\n     data-ad-format=\"auto\"\n     data-full-width-responsive=\"true\"><\/ins>\n<script>\n     (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({});\n<\/script><\/div>\n<div class=\"advads-cpc\" id=\"advads-3453976060\"><p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<p>Sponsored Guide<\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<p><strong>Complete Guide to NSFAS Online Loan Application for South African Students (2025)<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>If you are a South African student looking to pursue higher education but are facing financial difficulties, the <strong>National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS)<\/strong> is one of the most accessible funding options available. NSFAS provides financial aid in the form of <strong>bursaries and loans<\/strong> to qualifying students at public universities and TVET colleges in South Africa.<\/p>\n<p>This guide will walk you through <strong>everything you need to know about the NSFAS loan application process<\/strong>, from eligibility requirements to application steps and frequently asked questions.<\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<h2>\ud83d\udccc What is NSFAS?<\/h2>\n<p>The <strong>National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS)<\/strong> is a government-funded financial aid scheme aimed at helping students from low- and middle-income households to access tertiary education without the burden of upfront fees.<\/p>\n<p>NSFAS <strong>offers both bursaries and income-contingent loans<\/strong>:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Bursaries<\/strong>: For eligible students who meet academic and household income criteria (especially for TVET and university students).<\/li>\n<li><strong>Loans<\/strong>: For students who do not meet all bursary criteria or who are pursuing postgraduate qualifications not funded under bursary schemes.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<hr \/>\n<h2>\u2705 Who Qualifies for an NSFAS Loan?<\/h2>\n<p>To qualify for an NSFAS loan (especially for postgraduate students or programs not funded under the bursary system), you must:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Be a <strong>South African citizen<\/strong>.<\/li>\n<li>Be <strong>financially needy<\/strong>, with a household income of <strong>less than R350,000 per year<\/strong>.<\/li>\n<li>Have a <strong>valid South African ID<\/strong>.<\/li>\n<li>Be <strong>enrolled or accepted<\/strong> to study at a <strong>public university or TVET college<\/strong>.<\/li>\n<li>Not be funded through another bursary program that covers all expenses.<\/li>\n<li>Maintain satisfactory <strong>academic progress<\/strong> (returning students).<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<hr \/>\n<h2>\ud83d\udcda Courses Funded by NSFAS<\/h2>\n<p>NSFAS primarily funds <strong>undergraduate qualifications<\/strong>, but certain <strong>postgraduate programs (e.g., PGCE, postgraduate diplomas in education, and professional courses like LLB)<\/strong> may be considered under the <strong>NSFAS loan scheme<\/strong>, not bursaries.<\/p>\n<p>If you\u2019re studying:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Undergraduate degree or diploma<\/strong>: You are likely eligible for a full NSFAS bursary.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Postgraduate study<\/strong>: You may qualify for a loan, depending on the course and funding availability.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<hr \/>\n<h2>\ud83d\udcc4 Required Documents for NSFAS Application<\/h2>\n<p>When applying, make sure you have the following documents scanned and ready:<\/p>\n<ol>\n<li><strong>Certified copy of your South African ID or Smart Card<\/strong>.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Parent(s) or guardian(s) ID documents<\/strong>.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Proof of income<\/strong> (latest payslips, UIF, or affidavit if unemployed).<\/li>\n<li><strong>Consent Form<\/strong> signed by your parent(s)\/guardian(s) to allow NSFAS to verify income.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Proof of registration or acceptance at a public institution<\/strong>.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Academic transcripts<\/strong> (for continuing or postgraduate students).<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<hr \/>\n<h2>\ud83d\udda5\ufe0f How to Apply for an NSFAS Loan Online<\/h2>\n<h3>Step-by-Step NSFAS Online Application Process (2025)<\/h3>\n<ol>\n<li>\n<h3><strong>Visit the NSFAS Website<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p>Go to: <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nsfas.org.za\/\">https:\/\/www.nsfas.org.za<\/a><\/li>\n<li>\n<h3><strong>Create an Account<\/strong><\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li>Click on <strong>\u201cMyNSFAS\u201d<\/strong> and register your profile.<\/li>\n<li>You\u2019ll need a <strong>valid email address<\/strong> and <strong>South African cellphone number<\/strong>.<\/li>\n<li>Choose a strong password and verify your account via email or SMS.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li>\n<h3><strong>Login and Start the Application<\/strong><\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li>After registration, log in to your <strong>MyNSFAS<\/strong> account.<\/li>\n<li>Click on <strong>\u201cApply\u201d<\/strong> to begin a new application.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li>\n<h3><strong>Fill in Your Personal Details<\/strong><\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li>Input your <strong>ID number<\/strong>, name, surname, and other details exactly as they appear on your ID.<\/li>\n<li>Provide <strong>household income information<\/strong> and living arrangements.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li>\n<h3><strong>Upload Required Documents<\/strong><\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li>Upload all supporting documents in <strong>PDF or JPEG format<\/strong>.<\/li>\n<li>Each document must be clear and under the size limit specified.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li>\n<h3><strong>Submit Your Application<\/strong><\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li>Review your application for accuracy.<\/li>\n<li>Click <strong>\u201cSubmit\u201d<\/strong> and wait for a confirmation message.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li>\n<h3><strong>Track Your Application<\/strong><\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li>Log in regularly to check your application status.<\/li>\n<li>You will be notified via SMS and email at each stage of the process.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<hr \/>\n<h2>\ud83d\uddd3\ufe0f Important NSFAS Dates (2025)<\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Application Opening Date<\/strong>: September 1, 2025<\/li>\n<li><strong>Application Deadline<\/strong>: January 31, 2026<\/li>\n<li><strong>Appeals Period<\/strong>: February 2026 (if rejected)<\/li>\n<li><strong>Disbursement<\/strong>: After registration and approval<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><em>Note: Dates are subject to change; always confirm on the official NSFAS website.<\/em><\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<h2>\ud83d\udcb8 What Does the NSFAS Loan Cover?<\/h2>\n<p>NSFAS funding typically includes:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Tuition fees<\/strong><\/li>\n<li><strong>Registration fees<\/strong><\/li>\n<li><strong>Accommodation (if living away from home)<\/strong><\/li>\n<li><strong>Meals and transport<\/strong><\/li>\n<li><strong>Learning materials (e.g., textbooks)<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>For <strong>loans<\/strong>, repayment is only required <strong>once you start working and earn above a threshold<\/strong> (around R30,000 annually, but subject to change).<\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<h2>\ud83d\udd04 NSFAS Loan Repayment<\/h2>\n<p>Repayments are:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Income-contingent<\/strong> \u2013 you only repay when you can afford to.<\/li>\n<li>Administered by <strong>DHET (Department of Higher Education and Training)<\/strong>.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Interest-bearing<\/strong>, but interest rates are low and favorable.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>You can also apply for a <strong>partial loan conversion to a bursary<\/strong> if you perform well academically.<\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<h2>\ud83d\udd01 How to Appeal a Rejected NSFAS Application<\/h2>\n<p>If your application is rejected, you may submit an appeal via your MyNSFAS portal:<\/p>\n<ol>\n<li>Log into your MyNSFAS account.<\/li>\n<li>Click on <strong>\u201cTrack Funding Progress\u201d<\/strong>.<\/li>\n<li>If rejected, click on <strong>\u201cSubmit Appeal\u201d<\/strong>.<\/li>\n<li>Upload any missing or corrected documents.<\/li>\n<li>Provide a clear explanation or motivation.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<hr \/>\n<h2>\ud83d\udcf1 NSFAS Contact Information<\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Website<\/strong>: <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nsfas.org.za\/\">https:\/\/www.nsfas.org.za<\/a><\/li>\n<li><strong>Email<\/strong>: <a href=\"mailto:info@nsfas.org.za\">info@nsfas.org.za<\/a><\/li>\n<li><strong>Toll-Free Number<\/strong>: 08000 67327 (Monday\u2013Friday, 8 AM\u20135 PM)<\/li>\n<li><strong>Twitter<\/strong>: <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/myNSFAS\">@myNSFAS<\/a><\/li>\n<li><strong>Facebook<\/strong>: <a href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/myNSFAS\">NSFAS<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<hr \/>\n<h2>\ud83d\udcdd Final Tips Before Applying<\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li>Apply <strong>early<\/strong> to avoid system overload near the deadline.<\/li>\n<li>Use <strong>your own email and cellphone number<\/strong> (do not use someone else\u2019s).<\/li>\n<li>Double-check that all your documents are <strong>certified and legible<\/strong>.<\/li>\n<li>Keep a <strong>copy of your submission confirmation<\/strong> for reference.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<hr \/>\n<p>By following this guide, you can confidently apply for NSFAS funding and move one step closer to achieving your academic and career dreams\u2014without the burden of immediate financial pressure.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Johannesburg &#8211; Finance Minister Tito Mboweni delivered his Budget Speech on Wednesday afternoon to mixed reactions and applause, and one of the claims he made had many startled.&nbsp; The minister\u2019s imposition of a R2.89 Sin Tax on 750ml whiskey spirits left Energy Minister Gwede Mantashe sweating, but another claim he made about teacher\u2019s salary left\u2026 <span class=\"read-more\"><a href=\"https:\/\/uni1.co.za\/articles\/how-much-teachers-earn-in-south-africa\/\">Read More &raquo;<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-21897","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/uni1.co.za\/articles\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/21897","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/uni1.co.za\/articles\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/uni1.co.za\/articles\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/uni1.co.za\/articles\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/uni1.co.za\/articles\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=21897"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/uni1.co.za\/articles\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/21897\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/uni1.co.za\/articles\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=21897"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}