The measures regarding the granting of special leave for study purposes are as follows:

1. Special leave for an approved course of study and for a period approved by the Western Cape Education Department (WCED) may be granted to a permanently employed educator to improve his/her qualification. The leave so granted may be with full or partial salary or without salary. The approval of this leave will be with due regard to the number of applications received and its affordability for the WCED.

2. Special leave on a 50/50 basis, ie. where the educator utilises his/her accrued leave credits for 50% of the required leave whilst the WCED grants 50% of the leave period as special leave with full salary, may be considered for:
2.1 an educator who is not in possession of an approved qualification and who complies with the experience requirements for the teaching of specific subjects, which generally applies to technical subjects where qualified artisans, who are usually not qualified educators, have to teach these subjects. Refer to the Employment of Educators Act (Act 76 of 1998), Regulation 2 and the Personnel Administration Measures, Chapter B.
2.2 a first phase, to permanently appointed principals who wish to enhance their managerial skills. Special leave for study purposes may be granted to principals who register for an approved Education Management course at an approved institution for a period of one (1) year.

3. If special leave with full or partial salary for study purposes is granted to an educator in terms of paragraph 2 above, the WCED will expect the educator to submit periodic progress reports, at least one per semester, in respect of his/her studies. The educator will also be expected to enter into an agreement with the WCED in terms of which he / she undertakes to serve the WCED immediately after completion of the period of special leave for study purposes for a period equal to at least the period for which special leave for study purposes with full pay has been granted to him or her, or for a service period proportional to the person’s pay during the period of special leave for study purposes, as the case may be.

4. Special leave for study purposes (i.e. the Department’s 50% of the leave period) shall not be deducted from the educator’s leave credit.

5. Special leave for study purposes will be limited to a maximum of two (2) educators per institution/ office/directorate at any given period.

6. Applications for study leave must be submitted to the WCED by not later than 30 September of the year preceding the intended studies. The application form must be accompanied by proof of application for the course for which leave is required.

7. Please bring the contents of this circular to the attention of all educators in your institution/office/ department, including those on leave, and have them sign and date it. Principals must ensure that a copy of this circular is given to the chairperson of the school governing body for information.

8. You are kindly requested to place a copy of this circular together with copies of the other circulars on leave in a separate file / cover for future use / reference purposes.



SIGNED: J.H. HURTER
HEAD: EDUCATION
DATE: 2003:03:06