The Department of Basic Education (DBE), through Initial Teacher Education (ITE), is partnering and collaborating with the Jakes Gerwel Fellowship (JGF), the Gauteng Department of Education (GDE), and the Limpopo Department of Education to support newly qualified teachers, strengthen teacher agency, and contribute to improved teaching quality and learning outcomes. Teachers selected for the JGF – New Teacher Induction Programme (NTIP) Wraparound Support Programme, launched in February 2026, gathered for an annual Summit at the Birchwood Hotel and OR Tambo Conference Centre from 21 to 22 August 2026. As one of the planned interventions, the JGF Summit brings together all teachers on the Programme for a national, classroom-grounded gathering focused on professional growth.
Because the workshops and training are delivered under the DBE–JGF partnership, the two-day programme opened with a keynote through a webinar from Dr Moses Simelane, former Chief Director for Curriculum Implementation and Monitoring, who led teachers through an engaged discussion on what inclusive education looks like in practice. Participants then moved into hands-on sessions covering the South African Council for Educators (SACE) Professional Teaching Standards, the Four Constructs of Classroom Engagement, and Numeracy instruction in the Foundation Phase, all designed to give teachers tools and insights they could apply immediately in their own classrooms.
The Summit ran across two provinces simultaneously. Gauteng participants from the Sedibeng West, Tshwane South and Gauteng North Education Districts met at the Birchwood Hotel and OR Tambo Conference Centre in Johannesburg, whilst the Limpopo cohort from Vhembe East Education District convened at the Khoroni Hotel Casino Convention Resort in Thohoyandou. In both locations, sessions were led by JGF Primary School Teacher Coaches with support of province and district officials.
The Summit forms part of the broader JGF Wraparound Support Programme, a coaching-based model implemented in partnership with the DBE that combines pedagogical support, psychosocial care and professional development to help teachers complete the New Teacher Induction Programme. Through this partnership, JGF aims to cultivate ethical, reflective, values-driven educators through structured content, coaching and ongoing support.
The Summit content was built to help teachers on the JGF–DBE Programme grow their knowledge and skills, expand their professional networks, strengthen their motivation and sense of community, and deepen their awareness of effective classroom practice.
Reflecting on the strength of the collaboration, the Director for Initial Teacher Education, Ms Lala Maje and Ms Yvonne Lechaba, Head of Professionalisation, Registration, Induction and Certification at the South African Council for Educators (SACE), along with provincial and district officials from the participating regions, participated at the Summit and shared feedback that would assist in refinement of the Programme going forward.
The continued partnership between the DBE and the JGF stands as an example of how collaborative investment in professional teacher development and induction support can make a lasting difference for educators across South Africa.