Advisers' perceptions of their work in the subject advisory service of the Department of Education and Training

M.Ed. (Tertiary and Adult Education)At this time of transition in South Africa, the key to creative and pro-active change is education. In this sphere, as in many others in South Africa, there is a large developing sector juxtaposed with a small developed one. The majority of teachers, especially those in the junior primary phase, are unqualified or under-qualified and in urgent need of systematic inservice education. In response to this need the Subject Advisory Service of the Department of Education and Training (DET) was established in 1990 with the specific aim of improving the quality of classroom competence of teachers. The objective of this study is to explore the perceptions which a group of junior primary advisers have of their work in the Subject Advisory Service. To attain this objective a sample is used consisting of all the junior primary advisers in one of the eight regions of the DET who consented to participate at a specific time. An investigative approach is used to explore the perceptions which these junior primary advisers have of their work. This is done' by means of qualitative research which includes detailed descriptions of the context and manner of responses as well as analysis of the content. Qualitative research is believed by the researcher to be the best means of reflecting and recording the complex phenomena of human thought and behaviour. Data are obtained by requesting participants to write a n.live sketch based on a stimulus, and later to participate in a focus group interview based on the same stimulus