“Someday, I want to be a remarkable teacher, imparting the necessary knowledge to our foundation phase pupils so that they could enter the next phase with self-confidence and knowledge needed to perform well,” said Jessica Labuschagne, teaching assistant at Kuswag.
“It is a privilege for me to be appointed as an assistant teacher at Kuswag. I learn something new every day and I am working with and learning from a very dedicated teacher.”
According to principal, Linda Scholtz, Helping Hand’s subsidy for teaching assistants is extremely welcome.
‘We need an assistant teacher because we do not have classes for children with special needs, but there are many children in grades 1 to 3 who need special and individual attention, especially with reading,’ she said. “A teaching assistant helps the teacher by attending to children who struggle or need additional exercises, but can also continue with the rest of the class.They can also attend to pupils who are gifted and usually do not receive special attention.”
The subsidy pays Jessica's full salary.
The project gained momentum recently when the first 50 student teachers benefiting from the programme were announced. They will be subsidised by Helping Hand, employed as teaching assistants in 23 schools across the country, to alleviate the pressure on over-burdened teachers and to receive valuable job training.
''We are very excited about placing the first 50 teaching assistants in schools. It is the first step in a big dream now being fulfilled. From here, the project can only grow,'' said Riaan du Plooy, Helping Hand’s deputy head of education and training. “
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