No, you cannot study Educare without Matric. Educare is a NATED course, which requires you to have a Matric Certificate to apply. Here are some options for what you can do instead:
- Alternative courses to Educare
- Matric Rewrite
- Matric Upgrade
- Adult Matric
- Choose a different career that you can study for without Matric
Alternative Courses To Educare
If you are specifically wanting to take care of children, there are other courses you can apply to without a Matric Certificate, such as short courses in:
- Child Day Care
- Child Psychology
- Crèche Management
All three of these courses are available at Ember Academy as well as Skills Academy.
Choose A Different Career That You Can Study For Without Matric
There are still many options available for you to study if you have not passed Matric. Many distance learning colleges offer ICB courses accredited by QCTO (Quality Council for Trades and Occupations) as well as short courses that you can study for without Matric.
ICB courses are internationally recognised qualifications that you can study, up to the Diploma level. A Diploma is just one level below a Degree. You can apply to study any ICB course, except Office Administration, without a Matric Certificate.
Short courses are skill-based courses that give you practical experience as you study. These are aimed to equip you with the basic skills you will need to be ready for the workplace.
There are many reputable distance learning colleges that offer these courses, such as:
Together We Pass (TWP) has started offering study groups for more distance learning colleges such as Skills Academy, Learning Group, and Matric College. TWP is in partnership with Matric College which allows students to study different courses such as:
Can I Become A Teacher Without Matric?
You can become a teacher without Matric, it will simply be a longer process. You can begin with an education course at a TVET college if you have your Grade 9 Certificate. This is considered a bridging course.
Once you have completed it, you will be able to apply for a diploma in education, and then a PGCE (Post-Graduate Certificate in Education). Once you have completed your PGCE, you will be qualified to teach.
How Long Does It Take To Study Educare?
There are four levels when studying Educare:
- NATED N4 National Certificate in Educare
- NATED N5 National Certificate in Educare
- NATED N6 National Certificate in Educare
- NATED N6 National Diploma in Educare
The first three levels will each take a minimum of 6 months to complete. The N6 Diploma will then take another 18 months to complete. This means it will take a minimum of three years to complete your Educare N6 National Diploma.
What Level Is Educare?
The Educare N6 Diploma is NQF level 6, which is a National Diploma. It is just one level below a Bachelor’s Degree which is NQF level 7.
What Grades Can I Teach With Educare?
Educare is aimed at teaching children below grade 1, which are divided into age groups rather than grades. Crèche and Day Care centres will be looking after children between the ages of one and three years old. Preschools will take care of children between the ages of three and five years old.
What Subjects Are Required To Study Educare?
No specific subjects are required for you to be able to apply to study Educare. The requirements are that you need to have passed Matric and that you can study in English.
Where Can I Study Educare?
There are many colleges that offer accredited NATED Educare courses through distance learning, such as:
How To Go About Getting Your Matric To Study Educare
Matric Rewrite
If you have written your Matric, but you did not pass, and you are still under the age of 21, you can opt for a Matric Rewrite to bring up the marks of two subjects to pass Matric.
Remember that for Matric Rewrite you can only rewrite two subjects, and they must be subjects you wrote during your Matric year. You cannot change subjects.
To apply for Matric Rewrite you need:
- A copy of your Statement of Results
- A certified copy of your ID
Matric Upgrade
Matric Upgrade is for those who are over the age of 21 and would like to improve their marks. If you failed Matric and you are over the age of 21, you can do a Matric Upgrade to bring your marks up from a fail to a pass.
You can upgrade as many subjects as you like with a Matric Upgrade, and you can also choose to write new subjects if you prefer.
To apply for Matric Upgrade you need:
A copy of your Statement of Results
A certified copy of your ID
Adult Matric
Adult Matric is for those who did not get the opportunity to complete their high school journey.
Adult Matric is also known as an Amended Senior Certificate. Once you have successfully completed it, you will receive the same qualification from Umalusi that you would have received had you completed high school.
You can apply for Adult Matric as early as 19, but you must be over the age of 21 to write the exams.
To apply for Adult Matric you need:
- A certified copy of your ID
- Your Grade 9 Certificate or equivalent (ABET level 4 or GETC)
Where Can I Study For My Matric?
There are many reputable distance learning colleges that offer matric courses online that you can study from the comfort of your own home, and you can work to earn an income at the same time. Some of these colleges are:
Once you have your Matric Certificate, you will be able to apply to study for an Educare qualification.
What Have We Learned?
You cannot study Educare without Matric. There are alternative child care courses that do not require Matric. There are short courses and accredited courses in other fields of study that do not require Matric. You can still get your Matric if you want to study Educare.
Author: Chloe Bydawell
Editor: Amy Venter
Date Published: May 20, 2022
