SACE South African Council for Educators

What Is The Meaning Of SACE ?

SACE stands for South African Council for Educators and is the professional council for educators, that aims to enhance the status of the teaching profession through appropriate Registration, management of Professional Development and inculcation of a Code of Ethics for all educators.

What Documents Are Needed For SACE Registration ?

How to Get Your SACE Certificate

How To Find Your SACE Number

SACE Application Form

SACE Registration Fee

SACE: How To Register as an educator Guide

Are you a qualified teacher and want to teach in South Africa? You must register with the South African Council for Educators (SACE).

Section 21 of the South African Council for Educators Act, 2000 requires that:

  • every educator contemplated by the Act must register with the Council before appointment to a teaching post; and
  • no person may be employed as an educator by an employer unless that person is registered with the Council.

If you have foreign qualifications, they must be evaluated by the South African Qualifications Authority (SAQA) before you register with SACE.

In addition, kindly note that SAQA does not evaluate qualifications for the purpose of employment in specific work areas. In particular, to be employed as teacher in South Africa, the qualifications and academic transcripts have to be submitted to the Department of Basic Education (Section: Educator Qualifications and Programmes) where the qualifications will be evaluated for employment in education. The applicant will be informed in writing of the outcome. Your qualification must be recognised for employment in education before you register with SACE.

If your application is successful, SACE will register and issue you with a registration certificate.

What you should do

Complete the application form and submit it to SACE with the following documents:

  • certified copies of your professional diploma(s) and/or degree certificate(s)
  • certified copy of your identity document
  • registration fee

Non-South African citizens must include the following:

  • an evaluation report from SAQA
  • an evaluation report for employment in education from the Department of Basic Education:Educator Qualifications and Programmes section.
  • a work permit stating that they are permitted to teach in South Africa
  • proof of permanent residence and non-South African identity document
  • proof of employment or pending employment by a school in South Africa.

Who must register with SACE?

A: Educators employed at:

  • Public schools. These are educators employed in terms of the Employment of Educators Act of 1998 and the South African Schools Act of 1996)
  • Recognised independent schools,
  • Further Education and Training Institutions (employed in terms of the FET Act of 1998),
  • Adult learning centers (ABET).
  • Waldorf and Montessori centers
  • ECD educators with a minimum NQF level 4 ECD qualifications employed in public and independent schools in Grade R.
  • Foreign educators as per Council Resolution of 2008.

SACE Letter of Good Ethical and Professional Standing

A. A letter from the licensing body or education ministry that says your right to teach has never been suspended, revoked or cancelled.

The Statement of Professional Standing provides us with information regarding your past professional practice as a teacher. For example, it tells us whether your authorization to teach has ever been taken away for disciplinary reasons or whether you would still be welcome to teach in that country, province or state. If educator was previously not an educator in their country of origin, then a testimonial from the last Higher Education institution attended is required.

The statement must:

  • Verify that you were authorized to teach in that jurisdiction
  • State that your authorization was never suspended, cancelled or revoked
  • Come from the licensing authority or department of education
  • Be an original and signed by the appropriate official
  • Not be more than one year old when we receive it 

How long does SACE registration take?

The process takes six weeks, including postage to and from the office for SA educators and three months for foreign educators.

How To Pay SACE Registration Fee?

The current registration fee is R200 (S.A. Educators) and R400 (Foreign Educators) must be included either as original postal order, cheque or payment can be made in cash or using the bank card at the office. Educators not paid through persal must pay the annual levy of R120 on application.

SACE working hours and contact numbers

A: SACE office is open for service from 08h00 to 16h30, Monday to Friday.

Contact numbers are as follows:

Tel no:  086 100 SACE [7223] OR (012) 663 9517
Fax no:  (012) 663 9238

E-mail: info@sace.org.za

Postal address: Private Bag X127, Centurion, 0046

Physical address: 240 Lenchen Avenue, Centurion, 0046     

We invite all educators to visit our website at: www.sace.org.za  

Contact details for evaluation of foreign qualifications:
National department of Education (DoE), telephone (+27 12 357 3000)
or South African Qualifications Authority (SAQA), telephone (+27 12 431 5000)