The DBE anticipates the release of the Teaching and Learning International Survey (TALIS) South Africa Country Report on 02 July 2019, following the launch of the 3rd International Report (Volume I), in Paris on 19 June 2019. The TALIS, sampled 20 teachers teaching Grades 8 and 9 learners in approximately 200 schools from each participating country. This is the first time that South Africa participated in the study, enabling an important baseline of teacher survey data.

TALIS is an international large-scale survey of teachers that investigates the condition of the teaching and learning environment in schools in participating Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) countries and partner countries. TALIS aims to provide valid, timely and comparable information to help countries review and define policies for developing a high-quality teaching profession. The TALIS International Report will be released in two volumes. Volume II is scheduled for release during March 2020 and will focus on teachers and school leaders as valued professionals.

The 2008 survey focused on lower secondary education and involved 24 countries. During the first survey in 2008, school leaders in approximately one third of the participating schools reported a shortage of qualified well-performing teachers to provide quality education. Teachers also indicated that they needed more training in Information and Communication Technology (ICT), special needs education, and teaching in diverse settings. During the 2013 survey, the 34 countries that participated found that professionals whose initial education included content, pedagogy and practice elements specifically for the subjects that they teach, felt better prepared for their work than the teachers without this kind of training. This is relevant information for systems of initial teacher preparation in all countries as teachers surveyed reported that feedback leads to positive changes in both their use of student assessments and their classroom-management practices.