Teacher as Role Model: The South African Position on the Character of the Teacher

Abstract

This paper interrogates the South African policy document on minimum requirements for teacher education qualifications regarding character education for student teachers. Reflecting on teachers’ character through the medium of the values education initiative in South Africa, this paper seeks to understand whether any legal and pedagogical framework exist in the recent teacher training document to support the teaching and learning of character education by students in training institutions. Character education encompasses the multiple layers of influences that enable the individuals to become morally responsible and self-disciplined citizens. The paper presents evidence from international literature to highlight the imperativeness of character education for initial teacher education as germane for the production of the right calibre of quality teachers for the South African schools. The paper suggests the need for a proper mandate and pedagogical framework on character education for teacher training institutions. Some curricula issues involved in character education are presented. Noting that the public holds schools and teachers accountable for societal demeanour, the paper concludes that policy-informed, well structured character education would culminate in the raising of the right calibre of teachers that may be responsive to demanding societal and pedagogical needs of South African education.

DOI: 10.5901/mjss.2014.v5n20p1728