In 2025, South Africa’s public education system took a significant leap forward with the implementation of a revised salary structure for teachers and school leaders. This update follows the gazetting of a 5.5% across-the-board wage increase by the Department of Basic Education (DBE), effective retroactively from 1 April 2025. While the financial uplift was welcomed, it is viewed not in isolation but as part of a broader push to retain skilled educators and address longstanding workforce gaps across the sector.
A Structured Raise Rooted in Experience and Qualification
Unlike ad-hoc increases of the past, the 2025 salary revision was delivered through a structured, qualifications-based system. Educators are now classified under Relative Education Qualification Value (REQV) bands, allowing for fair remuneration based on both academic credentials and years of service. The newly introduced salary tables range from R163,000 annually for early-career teachers to over R763,000 for experienced educators with advanced degrees and leadership roles.
The adjustment applies to a finely tuned “notch” system, designed to reward progression, loyalty, and continuous development. This granular approach ensures that classroom educators, heads of department, deputy principals, and school principals are all compensated in line with their responsibilities and career stage.
Beyond 2025: Inflation-Linked Stability Promised
The wage agreement, reached after extensive negotiations with public sector unions, also includes provisions for inflation-aligned adjustments over the next two years. Salaries in 2026 and 2027 will increase by no less than 4% and no more than 6%, depending on the prevailing Consumer Price Index (CPI). This built-in responsiveness is intended to prevent the erosion of earnings while maintaining fiscal sustainability.
Leadership Roles See Substantial Adjustments
School leadership roles also received a meaningful boost. Departmental heads now earn up to R1.05 million annually, with principals of larger schools seeing packages reaching R1.27 million, excluding benefits. These enhancements reflect a growing recognition of the administrative and leadership burdens that school heads carry, particularly in under-resourced communities.
Persistent Gaps in Subject Expertise
Despite this progress, the education system continues to face deep-rooted challenges, particularly in recruiting and retaining teachers in scarce-skills subjects. Mathematics remains a key area of concern. As of mid-2025, the DBE reported that hundreds of public schools were unable to offer mathematics at certain grade levels due to a shortage of qualified teachers.
This is not a new crisis. What remains worrying is the slow pace of systemic response. Universities and teacher training colleges often produce graduates in general subjects, leading to a skills mismatch. Meanwhile, the absence of national-level coordination between the DBE, tertiary institutions, and teacher unions leaves vacancies unfilled and learners underserved.
The Case for Targeted Upskilling
Experts have called for large-scale retraining initiatives to help existing teachers transition into high-need disciplines. Many current educators possess the foundational knowledge to teach subjects like mathematics or science but lack formal certification or confidence. Tailored upskilling programs, offered via blended learning or weekend workshops, could unlock a hidden reservoir of talent within the system.
Mugwena Maluleke, Secretary General of the South African Democratic Teachers Union (SADTU), has repeatedly advocated for this approach. “It’s not only about hiring more teachers; it’s about equipping the teachers we already have to meet national needs,” he said in a recent press briefing. He stressed the urgency of aligning teacher training pipelines with long-term national priorities a goal that remains elusive without strong interdepartmental coordination.
Financial Gains Must Be Matched by Structural Reform
The 2025 salary increase is undoubtedly a positive move both symbolic and substantive. It sends a clear message: that South Africa values its educators and sees them as central to national development. But salary alone cannot fix what is fundamentally a multi-layered policy and planning problem.
For meaningful change to occur, the DBE will need to go beyond payroll improvements. Investments in infrastructure, real-time workforce planning, improved data systems, and proactive engagement with teacher colleges will be essential. Without such measures, there’s a risk that the financial improvements will mask rather than mend the cracks in the system.
Conclusion: Momentum Is Building, but Challenges Persist
The 2025 teacher salary overhaul represents a much-needed morale boost for educators across the country. It arrives at a time when teachers are expected to do more from integrating technology into lessons to managing diverse learning needs. The hope is that better pay, coupled with improved support, will help attract young talent into the profession and retain experienced hands.
Yet, the road ahead demands more than compensation reform. It requires visionary leadership, coordinated policy-making, and a sustained commitment to aligning educational resources with real-world demands. South Africa’s children and the teachers who serve them deserve nothing less.
