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This editorial focuses on conundrums that teachers face relative to career pathing in the schooling system in South Africa. It also presents the papers covered in the Journal of African Education (JAE), Volume 2, Issue 2. Introduction Career pathing for teachers within the profession is one of the most neglected areas for research and this complicates the education crisis identified by Spaull, (2013) and Hendriks and Dunn, (2021). This oversight in research has resulted in the teaching profession becoming the last resort in choices to many students entering the university for the first time because teaching is mostly undervalued by society and much neglected by the Department of Basic Education. This is despite the reality that teachers remain in high demand on the labour market and has vast potential to significantly contribute to economic growth. Some research confirms that becoming a teacher is the first step in a career with many possibilities for growth and self-actualisation as master teacher, developer of students, school leadership, policy designers and academic alternatives (Teach.Org, 2021). The question we strive to provide an answer is, specifically, ‘what is career pathing?’ For this editorial, teacher career pathing refers to teachers’ critical reflections on their career planning. Such pathing involves the extension of personal qualities, teaching qualifications and teaching competencies. It entails an assessment of the nature of current work and the opportunities offered by workplace and the Department of Basic Education (DBE) in undertaking self-study and accessing teacher professional development programmes for promotion. The significance of teachers’ career pathing was observed when the Teacher Education Development (TED) Summit Report suggested prioritising Teacher Career Pathing. Other challenges that affect teachers were identified as “employment and working conditions; and rewards and remuneration. In isolation or in combination, these are challenges that teachers encounter within the profession, specifically in the teaching and learning practices in schools (Teacher Education Development, 2021: 44). Methodology and the research question This editorial adopted a desktop research approach. Desktop research involves collection of data from secondary sources (Juneja, 2021). Secondary data was used to develop answers to the research question that drove this discussion: ‘challenges faced by rural public teachers in basic education that exert an impact on career pathing and how this conundrum could be overcome.’ Findings, discussions and recommendations There is an education crisis in South Africa. Researchers have identified several causes for this crisis. This research conducted in South Africa established that teachers in rural public schools face challenges that are complex and interconnected (Du Plessis & Mestry, 2019). These constraints in a rural context complicate the envisaged career pathing compared to teachers in urban areas. Mestry and Du Plessis (2019: S1) identified adversities such as “lack of parental interest in children’s education, insufficient funding from the state, a lack of resources, underqualified teachers, and multi-grade teaching.” In the same study the unattractiveness of rural schools, the low status of teachers within the community, restricted career opportunities were identified as school adversities. This is compounded by incessant curriculum challenges, poor infrastructure and facilities, and administrative system’s problems. These challenges are complex and yet unique to their environment (Du Plessis, 2014), and they have a knock-on effect inhibiting teachers from moving up the ladder in the teaching profession. Another education adversity identified by Du Plessis and Mestry (2019) is that most rural schools are subjected to multi-grade teaching where professionals are required to teach different subjects and different grades in one class. This multigrade teaching practice has adverse effects for teachers in terms of planning the lessons, conducting assessment and maintaining discipline. Using multigrade as contingency strategy, defeats the goal of its arrangement to improve the educational and social outcomes of students in rural schools. Thaba-Nkadimene and Molotja (2021) propose the adoption of multigrade as the strategy of choice, that uses specialized curriculum and delivers by qualified multigrade teachers. The reality of the multigrade classroom complicate individualisation of the learning process, mastery of concepts; and overwhelms teachers as attention shifts from one grade level to the other. These factors range from the way in which the school is structured, under-resourced and marginalised (Msila, 2010). These myriad of factors affect teacher morale in the very same personnel who are expected to provide quality education. Teachers‟ low morale is positively linked to teachers‟ attrition that can subsequently affect teacher career planning. In support, Quan-Baffour and Arko-Achemfour (2014) identified lack of equal opportunities by all teachers, poor conditions of service, increased teacher workload and increased violence against teachers as significant factors that complicate career pathing. It is for this reason that some of the teachers underperform or consider leaving the teaching profession. In the same study, another disturbing conundrum to career pathing is that 80% of teachers are not aware of any other possibilities for growth and self-actualisation in their profession. This lack might lead to teachers’ dissatisfaction with their current profession and culminate in them becoming unproductive in their responsibilities. This editorial suggests that backlog in educational provisions must be addressed; and teachers be involved in their career pathing plans to improve educational services and opportunities for upward social mobility. Rural public schools, the teaching personnel in these sites and learners attending rural schools are generally neglected by the department. Unfortunately, these anomalies exert a negative impact on teachers’ career pathing. Dudla (2019) highlights some of the challenges faced by such schools, namely, inadequate remuneration, insufficient parental support and lack of appropriate safety and security in teachers’ working environment. In this anomaly, the blame for education crisis points to teachers lack of teaching competencies (Spraul, 2013, Thaba-Nkadimene & Mmakola, 2019), and other primary factors such as poor education provisioning to understaffing (Thaba-Nkadimene, 2020); classroom overcrowding, poor school leadership (Bush and Glover, 2016), poor family background, and learning in under-resourced schools. Government has not succeeded in effecting the desired changes for Black South Africans as envisaged when the country attained democratic rule in 1994. The promise was that apartheid inequalities would be redressed and quality education provided for all, including this in rural contexts. Sadly, teachers are struggling in finding their footing in the parlous working spaces, with such teachers succumbing to pressures to quit or relocate elsewhere. However, the prevalence of education crisis to date, marred by poor school resourcing; classroom overcrowding; and shortage of teachers, drive to further explore and take advantage of opportunities the teaching profession can offer. Business Tech (2019) identified five educational setbacks experienced by teachers in South Africa, namely, loss of actual teaching and learning time, administrative burdens and disruptions to routines, teaching learners in English when their mother tongue is African language, classroom size, and gender disparity in promotional positions. These educational adversities compel teachers to seek alternatives in career pathing because the rural school problems and challenges are beyond their control and even beyond their turning point in resilience. Most of such teachers retire to take up other offers not related to their current work. In this bleakness of the education crisis, some teachers seek greener pastures outside South Africa where they get reasonably resourced schools and better remuneration. Phatlane (2018) offers insight to the Teacher Education Development Summit in outlining education adversities that affect the teaching profession, in South Africa. Patlane states that many schools are under-resourced and overcrowded; teachers have unmanageably high workload (high-stress levels); teachers have limited leadership opportunities. The list extends to poor remuneration and rewards; poor retention and human resource development strategies; lack of incentives; weak norms and standards.” TED round table meeting further identified a retirement boom concerning the mass resignation of teaching professionals who perceive a non-competitive salary structure as the final nail. The backlog in improving the education sector emanates from the assumption that inequalities are uniform and of the same degree across the South African society, ranging from the Blacks, the Whites, the Indians and the Coloured. We support Carelse and Mcwabe (2018: par10) in dismissing this illusion, and we strongly support the notion that “treating unequals as equals would perpetuate the inequality.” Illusion and denialism of current South African realities caused by the past apartheid laws is the cause of delay in eradicating the inequalities in education provisioning. We have lived experiences of the current education realities of rural communities of South Africa, and we can applaud government for some progress in some areas. However, upliftment and development of rural education requires a special Rural Education Directorate in the Department of Basic Education, the same that was launched in 2006 but unfortunately disbanded in 2010 (Carelse and Mcwabe, 2018). Such a directorate is expected to address challenges faced specifically by rural education sector. Teachers career plans are disrupted amidst the educational adversities reported here. The DBE and the Department of Higher Education and Training (DHET) should work together in improving teacher education, and their teaching competencies. Furthermore, this editorial proposes that Rural Education Directorate in the Department of Basic Education be re-launched to tackle rurality specific educational challenges. Teaching in poor schools and teaching poor learners limit teachers exposure to quality education, and delay and tarnish prospects of their career pathing. Although, Ebersöhn identifies the prevalence of teachers‟ capacity for positive adaptation in adversities, teachers are compelled to work beyond the bounds of their duty to improve learner performance. They develop special teachers‟ traits such as “compassion, creativity, optimism and especially flocking to access and use scarce protective resources” (Ebersöhn, 2014: 568). Apart from inhibitive working conditions, the teachers and their learners are disadvantaged using same size fits all evaluation performance instruments. Teachers from poor schools are subjected to the same evaluation instrument, such as Integrated Quality Management Systems (IQMS); and they are expected to be proficient in promotional interviews even though their workplaces do not offer such experiences and opportunities to achieve required teaching competencies. The situation is dismal for these teachers, specifically how their performance is rated in comparison to those in privileged and affluent schools. The Department of Education should be put to task on the one-size-fits-all rating of teachers and learners from poor schools. In the same breath, there is reason to justify the despondency amongst teachers in rural contexts if the DBE does not take up proactive measures to redress the anomalies. Career pathing means that rural-based teachers should access resources and amenities that ensure their active participation in the economy. Political interference is one of the factors that has influence on staffing and promotional placements that subsequently impedes or enhances some teachers‟ career pathing. Bayer, Brinkkjær, Plauborg & Rolls’s (2009) identified political influence on curriculum and its design processes and teacher evaluation as factors that impact on teachers’ career pathing. In addition, Letseka, Bantwini, & King-McKenzie (2012), Pattillo (2012), Zengele (2013), Zengele and Pitsoe (2014) concur that political influence on the appointment of senior management has a negative impact on the effective management and leadership of rural public schools. In another study, teacher migration and teacher shortages were identified by Bertram, Appleton, Muthukrishna and Wedekind (2006) as career pathing challenges affecting South African teaching personnel. It is important that the staffing of a school is carefully considered to ensure effective and efficient functionality. The school management and governance need to employ suitably qualified staff in their respective schools. Research shows that appointments to senior management posts is influenced by politics and teacher unions, hence appointment of poorly skilled people (Letseka, et al.,2012; Pattillo, 2012). The study by Mbokazi, Mkhasibe & Ajani (2022) also attests that promotional requirements on senior management posts are inadequately utilised in the selection processes and hence employment of unskilled people at the expense of suitably qualified. To address this staffing conundrum, this study recommends that independent bodies be employed to conduct senior management posts appointment processes. It is envisaged that by employing relevant and suitable people the management and leadership of the schools could be improved. Papers included in the Journal of African Education (JAE) Volume 3 Issue 2 In this editorial seven papers were accepted for publication in the Journal of African Education (JAE) by Adonis Abbe Publishers after having subjected them to rigorous and blind peer review process by experts in the field of education. 1.“Editorial: “Challenges Faced by Teachers of Rural Public Schools that impacts on their Career Pathing”: authored by Dr Kgomotlokoa Thaba-Nkadimene, Dr Duduzile Mzindle, Dr Mampuru Philemon Nkadimeng, Joseph Mesuwini, Leuba James Mashitoa & Cephas Makwara. 2. Exploring the need to develop Critical Thinking Skills with Young (3-8-year-old) Mathematics Learners: authored by Dr Jayaluxmi Naidoo and Leah Makonye. 3. Teacher Readiness in delivering Classroom Pedagogy using in Zimbabwean Primary Schools: authored by Dr Morine Matongo. 4. Educational Resilience of Teen Mothers in Ghanaian Schools: is it without Socio-Emotional Challenges? authored by Dr Haruna Francis Adomako Barfi and Alfred Kuranchie. 5. Teaching Jieng: The Indigenous Education System of the Dinka (Jieng) of (South) Sudan: authored by Dau Jok, Ph.D. and Robyn Cooper, Ph.D. 6. Components to consider for an Academic Career Management Intervention Programme: A Concept Mapping Approach: authored by Dr Nina Barnes, Prof Marieta du Plessis and Prof José Frantz. 7. A stakeholder founded business model for strategic management of innovation hubs: A case of Zimbabwe Universities Innovation Hubs: authored by Dr Joshua Simuka and More Chinakidzwa. 8. Grappling with Education 5.0 Curriculum development in the Zimbabwean Higher Education Sector. The Case of Chinhoyi University of Technology: authored by Dr Simbarashe Munikwa and Professor Mapara Jacob. 9. Impact of Single Parenting Status of Secondary School Teachers on Job Performance in Jos North, Plateau State Nigeria: authored by Dr Ruth James UMARU, Lucy Lokritmwa WILLIAM and Dakup Stephen DABOER References Bayer, M., Brinkkjær, U., Plauborg, H., & Rolls, S. (Eds.). (2009). Teachers' career trajectories and work lives (Vol. 3). Copenhagen Denmark: Springer Science & Business Media. Bertram, C., Appleton, S., Muthukrishna, N., & Wedekind, V. (2006). The career plans of newly qualified South African teachers. South African Journal of Education, 26(1), 1-13. Bush, T., & Glover, D. (2016). School leadership in West Africa: Findings from a systematic literature review. Africa Education Review, 13(3-4), 80-103. Carelse, E. & Mcwabe, M. 2018. 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