Twitter storm over ‘unqualified’ celebs ‘teaching’ during lockdown

A Twitter storm has erupted on social media after celebrities were punted as stand in teachers for Grade R to Grade 3 pupils during the national lockdown.

This after well known showbiz personalities were unveiled last week, tasked with reading books for school-going children in a partnership between the department of basic education and Africa Teen Geek (ATG), a non-profit organisation keen on breaking barriers faced by disadvantaged communities in pursuing science, technology, engineering and maths.

Now ATG finds itself in the middle of the storm.

Using the hashtag #CelebrtitiesAreNotTeachers, on Monday tweeps questioned why qualified teachers were overlooked and celebrities given the gig to read stories for the pupils “as if it’s a bed time story fairytale”.

The project, called the Stem Lockdown Digital School (Book Club Reading), enlisted the services of radio and TV personality Somizi Mhlongo and his husband, Mohale Motaung, Pearl Modiadie, Penny Lebyane, actress and musician Phumeza Mdabe, social media influencers, Tumi Sole, UN Women executive director Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka, Idols winner turned pastor, Khaya Mthethwa and former Statistician General of SA Pali Lehohla.

Those who set Twitter ablaze on Monday asked pertinent questions such as how these people were appointed and if they knew anything about teaching.

Some claiming to be qualified teachers questioned the credibility of the programme, alleging that they were left out in cold.

One user named @sir_February said: “Qualified teacher, I wish I was a celebrity too.”

Another teacher @DieOnderwyser tweeted: “I actually love story-telling. My name is Pamela Phakathi and I am a newly qualified life orientation and physical education teacher but hey am not a celebrity @DBE_SA #CelebritiesAreNotTeachers.”

However, Lindiwe Matlali, founder and CEO of ATG, hit back claiming that she was under attack because she is a black woman and felt that there was an agenda to discredit her and her business. She also accused City Press of trying to paint a bad picture about the project.

READ: Africa Teen Geeks launches e-learing STEM school

“We are working hard to bring positive results in the country and your questions are aimed at destroying me. You are the first person and publication to look for something negative in what we are doing, while everyone is praising us for doing something for South Africans. I am going to tell all the celebrities to issue statements,” Matlali said when contacted for comment.

On Tuesday morning, ATG spokesperson Nonhlanhla Mnisi said the department of basic education was central in any educational initiatives in the country.

“It was thus important for ATG to get it involved with the department in such a pilot programme. Public figures were approached by ATG for the book club purely for lower grades. They were approached to bring awareness to both the book club and the catch-up lessons."

“It is ATG’s view that no qualification criteria was necessary. You would have seen various tweets from the department of education thanking these public figures for giving their time. There’s the book club which is mainly constituted by public figures who are not paid and there is the actual catch-up [programme].

“On April 4, ATG on its website and through its social media handles advertised that it was seeking #Stem teachers to apply and become part of the #Lockdowneschool. We have received more than 9 000 applications, a proper screening process was undertaken and 50 teachers were appointed to assist with the catch-up lessons.”

Mnisi added: “No tender was obtained from department because this is not a department/government led initiative. Mentioned public figures are volunteering and not paid. Their aim is to encourage the book club and reading whereas when it comes to the catch-up lessons, qualified teachers were recruited for this.”

Education spokesperson Elijah Mhlanga said: “The initiative was created by ATG who approached the department with an idea for an intervention to support learners during the lockdown resulting from Covid-19. The Lockdown Digital Classroom is not a formal school, in fact it is not a school. It is an out-school project that was put in place as a temporary activity to urge learners to continue learning at home. It is optional and participation is voluntary.

“No subscription is required. It is free. Of the 56 teachers involved 54 are qualified and registered with the SA Council for Educators. Two are student teachers.”

Nomusa Cembi, spokesperson for the SA Democratic Teachers Union said: “We are really shocked about this and if it is happening, we didn’t discuss it with the department of education. It is really appalling that the teaching profession would be relegated to this, where celebrities are involved in teaching.

“If this is happening, we condemn this behaviour and we will be getting in touch with the department to understand the whole thing,” Cembi said.

Ella Mokgalane, CEO of South African Council for Educators (SACE), said: “The SACE Act stipulates that for any individual to be appointed as an educator in schooling sector, such a person must be registered with SACE. Individuals can either be fully registered or provisionally registered. Full registration is provided to those who are professionally qualified as educators and provisional registration is provided to individuals still studying towards attaining a professional teaching qualification.”

Mokgalane reiterated that SACE will not allow professionally unqualified people to be employed and teach the children in this country.

“As a professional statutory regulatory body and custodian of the teaching profession, SACE has a mandate to protect the image, status and standing of the teaching profession by, amongst others, determining who will enter and remain in the teaching profession through its professional registration process. The professional registration status instills confidence and trust and assures the public and parents of quality service being delivered by quality teachers,” she said.

Paul Colditz, of the Federation of Governing Bodies of SA Schools, said the department didn’t inform them that the celebrities would be reading for children.

“If it merely is about reading books, it may be a good idea, but parents should be encouraged to do the reading. For those learners who have no parents, it’s not a bad idea to get celebrities that they can associate with to draw children’s attention and interest to the programme.

“However, our stance is that qualified people should be used [to teach]. We were never told about this, and teachers maybe get the impression that the department does not have trust in their ability to do a proper job,” said Colditz.

“If it’s indeed only bedtime stories, no problem. But if any pedagogy is involved, it must be [done by] teachers.”

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