The education labour relations council (ELRC) commissioned the study into educator supply and demand in South Africa following worrying anecdotal reports that indicated that educators seem to be leaving the education profession in large numbers.

The education labour relations council (ELRC) commissioned the study into educator supply and demand in South Africa following worrying anecdotal reports that indicated that educators seem to be leaving the education profession in large numbers. The human sciences research council-led consortium set out to explore the phenomenon of educator attrition and to understand the reasons why educators may be leaving the profession. In addition the study tried to understand the system's demand for educators and the number of educators needed to meet the demand. A series of seven reports based upon the nation-wide research were successfully completed and presented to the ELRC in 2005. This publication integrates all these findings on the factors determining educator supply and demand in South African public education system. It gives a more comprehensive picture of the determinants and closely examines both the growth and replacement demands for educators, the latter depending on factors such as employment trends, demographics and attrition (including morbidity and morality). This integrated report also pulls together the findings on educator supply, examining factors such as education graduates, morbidity and morality, and educators returning after a break from the profession. It includes the recommendations made to the ELRC regarding the production of more educators, improving job satisfaction and the review of policies within education structures in South Africa.