The Teacher Professionalisation Path is a route which acts as a means in which to promote the professionalisation of teachers within South Africa by use of a process which starts when recruiting persons to study toward the profession.

The Professional Pathway is a product of a collaboration of legislative documents and in effect promotes the professionalisation of the public sector as opted for by the South African Government.

The aim of the Professional path is ‘enhancing the status, esteem and prestige of the teaching profession across the teacher education and development continuum’. The pathway complies with national legislation and international treaty provisions such as the UN Sustainable Development Goal 4.

The Professional Pathway compromises of 9 steps (Focus Areas) which include:

1. FOCUS AREA 1: Minimum Requirements for Enrolment into Initial Teacher Education
2. FOCUS AREA 2: Provisional Registration of Student Teachers
3. FOCUS AREA 3: Final Year Provisional Registration Newly Qualified Educators
4. FOCUS AREA 4: Newly Qualified Educators
5. FOCUS AREA 5: Submission of the Electronic Professional Development Portfolio
6. FOCUS AREA 6: Review of the Submission of the Electronic Professional Development Portfolio
7. FOCUS AREA 7: Certified Teacher Professional Designation
8. FOCUS AREA 8: Participating in the three-year cycle of the CPTD System
9. FOCUS AREA 9: Periodic Renewal of Registration