Registration with the South African Council for Educators is the entry requirement for teaching in South Africa, but it is not the end of the obligation. Once registered, an educator is bound by a professional code, subject to a disciplinary process, and required to keep developing professionally.
This page covers those ongoing requirements — the ethics code, the development points system and the disciplinary framework — rather than the mechanics of first registration.
Entry Requirements at a Glance
To be and remain a registered educator you need:
- A recognised professional teaching qualification, such as a Bachelor of Education or a relevant degree plus a Postgraduate Certificate in Education
- Current registration with SACE in the correct category
- Acceptance of and compliance with the SACE Code of Professional Ethics
- Ongoing accumulation of professional development points under the continuing professional teacher development system
- A record that does not disqualify you from working with children
- For foreign nationals: a valid work visa or permit, and a SAQA evaluation of foreign qualifications
Academic and Minimum Admission Requirements
The Code of Professional Ethics is the substantive obligation, and it is enforceable rather than aspirational. It governs an educator’s conduct towards learners, parents, colleagues, the profession and the employer.
Its most consequential provisions concern learners: the prohibition on any form of sexual relationship with a learner, the prohibition on corporal punishment, and the duty to protect learners from harm. Breaches of these lead to the most serious sanctions.
SACE investigates complaints against educators and conducts disciplinary hearings. Sanctions range from a caution or fine to removal from the register, which ends the person’s ability to teach lawfully anywhere in South Africa.
Complaints may be lodged by parents, learners, colleagues or employers. Educators facing a complaint are entitled to be informed of it and to respond — confirm the current procedure with SACE directly.
Subjects, APS and Qualification Requirements
The continuing professional teacher development system requires registered educators to accumulate professional development points over defined cycles, through approved activities including formal courses, school-based development and self-directed learning.
Providers and activities must be SACE-endorsed to count. Confirm that a course carries endorsement before paying for it — unendorsed training does not contribute points, and this catches educators out regularly.
Corporal punishment is separately prohibited by the South African Schools Act 84 of 1996, which makes it unlawful in all schools. It is both a criminal matter and a professional one, and remains among the most common grounds for SACE disciplinary action.
Employment in a school also engages child protection legislation. Schools are required to check the National Register for Sex Offenders and the child protection register maintained under the Children’s Act. A listing on either bars employment in a position of authority over children.
Documents and Application Requirements
For registration and for maintaining it, SACE requires documentation. Confirm the current list directly, as it is revised.
- Completed application form for the correct registration category
- Certified copy of your South African ID, or passport and valid visa or permit
- Certified copies of teaching qualification certificates and academic transcripts
- SAQA evaluation certificate for qualifications obtained outside South Africa
- Police clearance certificate or consent to a criminal record check
- Proof of payment of the applicable fee
- Records of endorsed professional development activities, for the CPTD system
Selection, Intake and Eligibility Considerations
Registration is normally a condition of appointment, because it is unlawful to employ an unregistered educator. Employers verify registration status directly with SACE.
Keep your own records. Educators are responsible for tracking and reporting their professional development points, and a gap in records is the individual’s problem rather than the employer’s.
- Confirm your registration category is correct and your registration is current
- Read the Code of Professional Ethics rather than assuming you know it
- Check that any professional development course is SACE-endorsed before paying
- Track and report your development points yourself, and keep the evidence
- Start SAQA evaluation early if you qualified outside South Africa
- Confirm current fees, cycles and procedures with SACE directly
Frequently Asked Questions
What happens if I am removed from the SACE register?
You may no longer teach lawfully in South Africa. Removal follows a disciplinary process and is the most serious sanction the Council can impose.
Do professional development points expire?
They are accumulated over defined cycles. Confirm the current cycle length and points requirement with SACE, as these are set by the Council and revised.
Is corporal punishment a SACE matter or a criminal one?
Both. It is prohibited under the South African Schools Act and is also a breach of the Code of Professional Ethics, and it remains a common ground for disciplinary action.
Who can lodge a complaint against an educator?
Parents, learners, colleagues and employers may lodge complaints with SACE. Confirm the current procedure and your rights of response directly with the Council.
Registration categories, development point requirements, fees and disciplinary procedures are set by SACE and change. Confirm current requirements directly with the Council.