Teachers shape the next generation, and like all professionals, they deserve to be rewarded for their work.
Understanding teachers’ salaries becomes crucial, especially when you are considering a teaching career.
A Comparison between Two Countries
The South African compares salaries of the public school teachers between Namibia and South Africa. This comparison shows a huge difference between these two countries. This could be largely influenced by the state of the economy as well as government policies.
How much do South African Teachers get?
In South Africa, various factors influence teachers’ salaries, such as qualifications, experience, and location. Business Tech reports that South African teacher salaries are structured around specific bands and ‘notches’ that vary according to experience level and position. So when a teacher gets promoted, he or she moves up a notch. This means deputy principals and principals earn much more than ordinary teachers with the same qualifications.
As determined by the Department of Basic Education (DBE), the salaries are split across 432 ‘notches.’ According to the DBE, as of April last year, the lowest notch (001) receives a minimum of R154 671 per annum. Notch (432) reflects the highest salary in the sector, with a total of R1 209 279 per annum.
Including packages, South African teacher salaries can reach up to a maximum of R1.6 million, according to Business Tech.
How much are Teacher Salaries in Namibia?
Namibian government pays public-school teachers on a structured salary scale that increases with qualifications, experience, and responsibility.
A teacher with a three-year qualification generally starts in Grade 9.
According to Namibian Sun, Grade 9 teachers earn between R195 216 to R234 144 a year.
Namibian teachers with a four-year teaching degree enter at Grade 8, with annual salaries commonly ranging from just under R200,000 to around R285,000.
As they progress into leadership roles, such as Heads of Department and school principals, pay rises substantially.
Some senior educators earn more than R400,000 to over R500,000 per year, excluding housing and transport allowances offered in certain posts.
In regional terms, unions and educators consider Namibia’s teacher compensation competitive within Southern Africa.
However, some unions still periodically call for improvements to match living costs and growing classroom demands.
