Training Needs in Educational Psychology for South African Social and Educational Conditions

Abstract

Given the predominance of needs within the non-privileged sector of South African society, two major issues face those who train in the field of educational psychology: the issue of how to train in sufficient numbers and the issue of the content and process of training where relevance and effectiveness are in question. With 77% of the school-going population having only one educational psychologist available for every 30 000 pupils, the needs cannot be met only through the current highly specialized and protracted training. The concept of a dual model of training with mental health workers also being trained to meet cross-disciplinary, basic level needs is developed. In conjunction with this, process and content shifts in training at both levels are suggested in order to meet three major areas of need: special education and the needs of those with developmental and educational disabilities; underachievement in black education; and problems resulting from the breakdown of families and effective parenting.