How to Stop Teachers from Checking Out
The writing’s been on the staffroom wall for some time now. According to the latest Teacher Preferences and Job Satisfaction in South Africa report by the Research on Socio-Economic Policy Unit (Resep) at Stellenbosch University, South Africa’s newest teachers are leaving faster than they’re arriving, with one in four exiting the profession within the first three years.
Without urgent support, we risk a crisis in our classrooms and the loss of an entire generation of passionate, skilled educators.
New data from the Jakes Gerwel Fellowship (JGF) offers a hopeful shift in the narrative. An internal analysis shows that 80% of newly qualified teachers (NQTs) who received professional coaching and psychosocial support through JGF’s NQT induction programme are committed to staying in the profession for at least the next three to five years.
An urgent need for teacher support
JGF’s statistics speak volumes about the deep commitment teachers have to their profession. Teaching is a calling, and the majority of teachers care deeply about their work, but they can’t carry the burden alone, says Banele Lukhele, CEO of the Jakes Gerwel Fellowship.
“Challenges like overcrowded classrooms, trauma-affected learners, and overwhelming workloads aren’t going to disappear overnight. But with the right interventions, like coaching and psychosocial support, teachers are not just coping but beginning to thrive. We’re seeing compelling evidence that coaching helps build medium-term professional stability. It’s a strong step in the right direction.”
JGF is a non-profit organisation dedicated to nurturing expert teacher leaders in South Africa. Its Newly Qualified Teacher (NQT) Induction Programme includes fortnightly one-on-one coaching sessions, peer learning through a Communities of Practice, and access to mental health and psychosocial support. The programme primarily supports young teachers working in quintile 1, 2, and 3 schools, which are the most under-resourced environments. Over 70% of South African learners are enrolled in these schools, with a significant portion facing extreme socio-economic barriers.
The weight of a broken system
According to the Teacher Preferences and Job Satisfaction in South Africa report, South Africa loses more than 20,000 teachers annually, nearly half of whom are under the age of 35. Most don’t leave because they don’t care, but because they’re overwhelmed. More than 25% of teachers report experiencing significant stress at work, substantially higher compared to the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development’s (OECD) average of just 18%, and many newly qualified teachers especially feel blamed for systemic failures.
As with many professions, there is a significant gap between university training and the realities of the workplace. For newly qualified teachers, this means stepping into classrooms without a clear roadmap for the complex, often unpredictable challenges they’ll face. As a result, many feel underprepared to navigate diverse classroom dynamics and unsupported when confronted with intense emotional pressures and overwhelming administrative demands.
“Newly qualified teachers are passionate and skilled,” says Lukhele. “But soon face emotional exhaustion, isolation, and the weight of high expectations without the tools to cope. Many are silenced by rigid hierarchies and overwhelmed by the sheer volume of responsibilities. That’s where professional coaching becomes transformational.”
Purpose-driven teachers
JGF’s approach isn’t about ticking boxes but is focused on long-term empowerment. Each NQT is paired with a trained teacher coach, often a veteran educator, to help them navigate everything from lesson planning and classroom management to boundary setting, emotional regulation, and identity-building.
And it’s working. Teachers in the JGF programme report 80% belief that coaching was essential to their growth and their decision to stay in the classroom.
“My teacher coach helped me a lot. My first year of teaching did not go so well, and if it were not for my teacher coach, I would have resigned by June,” says one NQT based in Gauteng. “My teacher coach guided me on how best to solve the problems I had.”
As another participant shared, “My teacher coach was an incredible source of guidance and support. She made me feel worthy and heard.”
Beyond individual growth, JGF also focuses on community. Monthly online gatherings help teachers troubleshoot real-time classroom challenges, swap strategies, and lean on one another for support. An additional psychosocial safety net includes referrals for professional mental health care when needed.
“We don’t just want to keep teachers in the classroom. We want to help them stay happy and stay with purpose,” adds Lukhele.
Teacher coaching is by no means the only long-term solution to South Africa’s teaching crisis, but it is proving to be a powerful lever in boosting retention and resilience in a sector where early-career exits are alarmingly high.