CPTD Points – Easy Peasy as activity type 1,2 and 3!

It’s almost the long weekend and school holidays are approaching. Congrats teachers, you made it through the first term of 2018! Along with all the marking, report comments and lesson prep, you still need to build up your professional development (PD) points for the CPTD cycle.

This system is actually quite nifty and recognises all useful teacher development activities by approving quality and credible professional development providers and by endorsing relevant development activities and programmes.

You have to earn at least 150 PD points in every three years of your CPTD cycle. You must participate in ALL three different types of professional development activities/programmes to earn the 150 PD Points.

These are:

Type 1 Activities/Programmes: Teacher-initiated

Type 2 Activities/Programmes: School-initiated

Type 3 Activities/Programmes: Externally-initiated

The good news is that SACE have slightly adjusted the CPTD system and it is much easier to get to 150 PD points by simply choosing most of your activities from the Type 1 and 2 categories. Although you are required to participate in all three categories, we highly recommend you distribute your points equally across all three categories. Please remember you can not claim all your points for one category only.

Before the hyperventilation kicks in, let us inform you of six example activities that fall under each Type:

Type 1 Activities:

• Reading educational material in a variety of publications and from various sources
• Engaging in electronic media educational activities (webinars, viewing / listening to an educational programme, telematics)
• Attending relevant educational meetings/breakfast sessions (excluding the ones hosted by employers/Provincial Education Departments. Please note that employer-led meetings are reported under type 3 in terms of employer-led activities)
• Attending educational conferences/seminars/workshop sessions (excluding the employer/Provincial Education Departments driven ones)
• Mentoring and coaching other teachers
• Kick-starting/leading a community project

Type 2 Activities:

• School Meetings (initiated at school level and led by different role players – excluding the Provincial Education Departments/districts and circuits)
• School workshops/development and support sessions
• School seminars/mini conferences
• School community action research
• School projects
• Achieving two school developmental needs (e.g. through SIP, APIP)

Type 3 Activities:

• Self-diagnostic assessment
• On-site support in schools
• Subject committees
• Induction programmes
• Short courses/skills development programmes- workshops and online
• CAPS training

The next question would be, how you record your PD points. You have to ensure that all your activities are actually value-added ones that is RECONISED by SACE. Always record your participation in Type 1 , Type 2 and Type 3 activities in your Professional Development Portfolio (PDP) either online or in your paper based document. Please PDP Templates on our SACE and CPTD page or the online CPTD Self-Service Portal. Any Type 3 activities MUST be logged by yourself and will be recorded by the provider. 

In a nutshell, Type 1 and 2 activities are anything but exhausting that will make you pull out your many grey hairs caused by your learners. For a full spectrum of activities, please visit https://www.eduvationnet.co.za/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/PROFESSIONAL-DEVELOPMENT-POINTS-SCHEDULE.pdf  and start racking up those points!

For any other information on SACE and CPTD, please visit our SACE and CPTD page: https://www.eduvationnet.co.za/cptd-sace/