The emotional wellbeing of South African teachers has reached a crisis point, with many leaving the profession due to unbearable working conditions.

This is the warning from Dr Marelize Vergottini, Senior Lecturer in Social Work at the North-West University (NWU), who cautions that the mental and emotional strain on teachers can no longer be ignored.

“Teaching has always been a challenging profession, a ‘calling’, as the saying goes, but in South Africa it is currently taking an emotional toll on teachers that cannot be overlooked,” says Dr Vergottini.

“Teachers are the backbone of the education system and play one of the most important roles in the future of our children, but they are expected to work in unbearable conditions. Their emotional welfare causes concern and many teachers leave the profession, which has far-reaching consequences,” she continues.

One of the biggest challenges is workload. Teachers are burdened with a long list of responsibilities that stretch far beyond classroom teaching. Lesson planning, assessments, moderating, extramural activities, disciplinary interventions, parent meetings, committees, and endless administrative paperwork consume hours after school. The Department of Basic Education’s emphasis on accountability and performance measurement has only intensified this pressure, leaving teachers emotionally drained and with little time for rest or family responsibilities.

Inclusive education, while essential in principle, adds another layer of stress. South African classrooms are becoming increasingly diverse, with learners who have disabilities, learning barriers, and emotional or behavioural challenges. Yet, many teachers lack the training, resources, and specialist support to address these needs effectively.

“Although the intention behind inclusive education is good, many teachers are not adequately trained and receive little support to meet these divergent needs,” Dr Vergottini explains.

The lack of resources and practical assistance leaves teachers frustrated and helpless, while learners do not receive the support they deserve.

Maintaining discipline has also become a daily battle. Teachers often find their authority undermined, with learners’ rights emphasised without equal responsibility. Overcrowded classrooms, sometimes with 50 to 70 learners, worsens the situation. Under such conditions, individual attention and quality teaching become nearly impossible, and the constant noise, lack of space, and daily chaos, fuel exhaustion and eventual burnout.

The human cost of these pressures is devastating. Many teachers suffer from emotional exhaustion, anxiety, and depression. Some leave the profession altogether, while others merely try to survive, unable to build meaningful connections with their learners. This erodes the quality of teaching and lowers morale across entire school communities.

Dr Vergottini stresses that if South Africa is serious about improving education, the wellbeing of teachers must be the starting point. Solutions include reducing administrative workloads, decreasing class sizes, providing proper support for inclusive education, and recognising the emotional demands of teaching.

“This profession includes people who carry our adults of the future in their hands,” she concludes. “Without urgent intervention we run the risk of losing more of our most dedicated teachers.”