ITEC - Education Training

20/10/2026

GET TO KNOW ITEC ITEC - Education Training

Meet ITEC – The Institute of Training and Education for Capacity-building, an organisation dedicated to strengthening education and creating better learning opportunities for South African children.

Founded in 1987, ITEC has spent nearly four decades supporting schools, teachers, parents and children through programmes focused on Early Childhood Development, Early-Grade Literacy and computer training.

Through initiatives such as the Teacher’s Library, ITEC has helped generations of teachers inspire a love of reading while placing engaging books in the hands of thousands of children. Their work with Early Childhood practitioners and parents continues to expand learning opportunities across the province and contribute to breaking the cycle of deprivation.

We are proud to shine a spotlight on organisations like ITEC that are making a meaningful difference in our communities.

20/10/2026

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OUR VISION All parents are supported to develop positive, nurturing and stimulating relationships with their young children. OUR WORK The work of Mikhulu Trust results in nurturing parent-child relationships and improved cognitive and socio-emotional development of children. We achieve this through....

09/10/2026

Did you know the difference between a chapter book and a 'middle grade' novel? Chapter books are designed to bridge the gap between easy readers (decoding) and novels, so that after decoding practice, young readers can practice reading fluency. The difference in format is that chapter books have larger print, double spacing and the text is broken up by illustrations. They also come in series ... but the series aren't like a series of novels where a continuing story flows from book 1 through the next books; no, in chapter books, each book is 'more of the same'. And chapter books have a main character who carries just about all of the story; they're quirky, relatable and very memorable! We have hundreds of chapter books in our teacher's library. What are our favourites? Hilary McKay's Lulu, Usborne Young Reading, and those classics of early chapter books, Frog & Toad by Arnold Lobel. What do children love? We have found that Wimpy Kid, Captain Underpants, Daisy Meadows Fairies, Vivian French's Tiara Club and Holly Webb's animal stories are all ones that are asked for again and again.

09/09/2026

07/09/2026

Celebrating literacy isn't just about learning to read—it is about unlocking a child's imagination and giving them the keys to explore the entire world. Children's books are absolutely brilliant because they turn everyday moments into grand adventures, teaching empathy, sparking curiosity, and building a lifelong love for discovery. When we share a story with a child, we aren't just turning pages; we are building their future, one magical chapter at a time. 📚✨

26/08/2026

ECD Qualifications in South Africa are changing. If you are studying or working in Early Childhood Development (ECD), you may have heard about the move from the old “legacy” qualifications to the new QCTO occupational qualifications.

So, what is the difference?

The previous "LEGACY"qualification focused mainly on:
• Theory – learning the knowledge needed for ECD
• Practical work – putting that knowledge into practice
• A Portfolio of Evidence (PoE) to show what you had learned and done.

The new QCTO qualification brings together three important parts:
• Knowledge – what you need to know about ECD
• • Practical Skills – what you need to be able to do
Workplace Experience – actually working in an ECD setting and gaining experience on the job.

Why the workplace experience? Think about training for a practical occupation such as a plumber or builder. You don't just learn the theory and practise in a classroom – you also need experience doing the actual job. The same principle now applies to ECD. Practitioners spend time working in an ECD setting, recording their experience in a workplace logbook. This must be signed off by a supervisor. And there is a final examination.

Once learners have successfully completed the Knowledge, Practical Skills and Workplace Experience components, they can sit for the External Integrated Summative Assessment (EISA). We do this as a formal external assessment to see whether the learner can bring together what they have learned, practised and experienced in the workplace. The EISA is part of the QCTO system to ensure a national standard.

✨ In simple terms:

-> Legacy qualification: Theory + practical work + Portfolio of Evidence

-> New QCTO qualification: Knowledge + Practical Skills + Workplace Experience + External EISA

The big change is that the new qualification places much more emphasis on being able to do the job in a real ECD workplace, not simply demonstrating what you know.

This is an important shift towards qualifications that are occupationally relevant and connected to the realities of working in ECD.

06/08/2026

Our Teacher's Library can supply your classroom with a box of books for a term at a time. Boost reading skills in your school by joining our Teacher's Library. Phone 043-7438333 to make an appointment to see our librarian.

28/07/2026

Many parents recognise the arguments about screens.
What we often don’t see is how they begin.

Many parents recognise the arguments about screens.

What we often don’t see is how they begin.

Screen dependence rarely develops overnight. It usually starts with a child discovering that a screen helps them feel calmer, less anxious, less bored or more in control. Over time, the brain learns to rely on that feeling.

When we understand why screens have become so important, we can support children in ways that build connection and regulation, rather than simply taking the device away.

I’d love to hear your thoughts. Has this been your experience?

22/07/2026

22/07/2026

A classroom library is a great way to improve reading skills - here are 10 tips:

1. Introduce a few new books monthly, sourcing from second-hand, sales, or donations, ensuring they are appropriate.

2. Provide a variety of genres, including picture books, comic books, poetry, non-fiction with lots of pictures, and biographies, to encourage diverse reading.

3. Research creative book storage solutions and utilize unique display methods.
4. Keep books safe from damage, off the floor and away from damp/direct sun.

5. Support struggling readers during independent reading time with book selection and extra practice.

6. Maintain organization to help children easily locate books. Keep this simple.

7. Allow learners to take books from the classroom library to read at home - avoiding work completion as a requirement for reading time. This means that slower learners can also get to read and explore the books. Utilize a class-library log for tracking borrowed books and their condition. To sign books out, and in, use a simple log sheet (example provided).

8. Avoid plastic covers; instead, encourage children to use bread bags for transporting books. The pliable material of bread bags is the best at keeping the books from being damaged by friction or damp in backpacks. -

9. Create a "Book Hospital" for damaged books. A cardboard box with a simple red cross on the side is all that is needed. NEVER fix books with sticky tape, instead reseat loose pages by running Pritt along the edge and pressing firmly into the spine with a ruler. Torn pages can be fixed with see-through contact paper cut carefully to fit.

10. Don’t make reading a chore. Facilitating children's reading experiences is more beneficial than strict guidance. Required reviews just frustrate children. Instead, simply grant children freedom in their reading choices.