Calls for the decolonisation of higher education in the world and South Africa in particular, has gained momentum since the student protests in 2015 and 2016. This takes place after some efforts have been made to transform and democratise the higher education landscape. Efforts made include: National Commission on Higher Education, White Paper 3 1997, The Higher Education Act of 1997 and the South African Qualifications Authority (SAQA) Act of 1995 which led to the creation of National Qualification Framework (NQF). The policies had promises on issues of access, equity, equality, inclusivity and social justice. After 20 years of democracy, students started to question the progress or lack thereof in the transformation of higher education in South Africa. They started to make demands for access, free education, decolonisation of the curriculum, changes in the pedagogy and epistemic practices. They also demanded the removal of certain statues on some of the campuses. The protests jolted some academics to start debating and writing about the decolonisation of higher education in South Africa. This was done by picking up different aspects that were made points of focus in terms of decolonisation. Consequently, some academics focused on the decolonisation of the curriculum, some on the higher education system whilst others focussed on teacher education. In this article, we intend to contribute to the debate by focusing on Continuing Teacher Professional Development (CTPD) that is an aspect within teacher education. The focus on CTPD was prompted by the fact that not much has been done on the decolonisation of CTPD in South Africa. Furthermore, this is a critical area, because unless teachers are empowered and reskilled to drive the decolonisation process, they may resist and ultimately render the whole process unworkable. It is based on the study that was conducted, focusing on CTPD in the teaching of physical sciences in some of the rural schools in Limpopo Province. The choice of physical sciences was because physical sciences is a gateway subject and most physics sciences teachers in Limpopo Province are based in rural areas. Generally, these schools do not have the appropriate facilities and equipment to teach physical science. Physical sciences teachers also face many challenges such as negative perception about the subject, lack of resources, limited room for professional development, poor teacher training, and inadequate support from within the school and the Provincial Department of Education. This study focussed on creativity and teacher empowerment by enabling physical sciences teachers to reflect on their implementation of science inquiry. Physical sciences teachers were empowered to be creative in handling scientific inquiry especially in the absence of the necessary scientific equipment. The study was conduct at a Higher Education Institution (HEI) in Limpopo Province where teachers, from rural schools, are specifically invited to the university for the National Science Week, which included a component of ongoing Continuing Teacher Profession Development (CPTD). During the National Science Week physical sciences teachers attend an in-service workshop on Improvisation in Science. Ninety (90) physical sciences teachers participated in this study. Data were generated by using a questionnaire and unstructured interviews. The findings of the study revealed that the success of CTPD is not so much in spending more funds in CTPD programmes, but it is in the approach that is used to prepare teachers to respond appropriately to the needs and the demands of the classroom environment. The article argues that the decolonisation process should prioritise the CTPD programmes at universities. This is due to the fact that teachers as agents of change need to be empowered and reskilled, so that they can be in the forefront of the decolonisation process. This can be achieved by adopting a transformative approach that encourages improvisation in science teaching. This approach to CPTD demands that teachers’ professional development should shift from the traditional approach to an approach that empowers teachers to be able to make a meaningful contribution to the classes that they teach.

中文翻译：

---

通过在农村地区即兴创作来消灭物理科学教学中教师专业的持续发展

自2015年和2016年学生抗议以来，呼吁世界特别是南非实行高等教育非殖民化的呼声日益高涨。这是在努力使高等教育的格局转变和民主化之后进行的。所做的努力包括：国家高等教育委员会，1997年第3号白皮书，1997年《高等教育法》和1995年的《南非资格认证局（SAQA）法》，从而创建了国家资格框架（NQF）。这些政策在准入，公平，平等，包容性和社会正义问题上都有希望。民主20年后，学生开始质疑南非高等教育转型的进展或不足。他们开始要求获得免费教育，课程非殖民化，教学方法和认知方法的变化。他们还要求拆除某些校园中的某些雕像。抗议活动使一些学者不安，开始辩论并撰写有关南非高等教育非殖民化的文章。这是通过挑选不同的方面来完成的，这些方面是非殖民化方面的重点。因此，一些学者专注于课程的非殖民化，一些学者专注于高等教育体系，而另一些学者专注于教师教育。在本文中，我们打算通过专注于教师教育的一个方面的持续教师专业发展（CTPD）来为辩论做出贡献。南非在CTPD的非殖民化方面做得很少，这促使人们对CTPD的关注。此外，这是一个关键领域，因为除非教师有权力和技能去推动非殖民化过程，否则他们可能会抵制并最终使整个过程变得不可行。它基于所进行的研究，侧重于林波波省一些乡村学校的物理科学教学中的CTPD。之所以选择物理科学，是因为物理科学是一门重要的学科，林波波省的大多数物理科学教师都住在农村地区。通常，这些学校没有适当的设施和设备来教授物理科学。物理科学教师还面临许多挑战，例如对学科的否定看法，资源匮乏，专业发展空间有限，教师培训不足以及学校和省教育厅内部的支持不足。这项研究通过让物理科学教师反思他们对科学探究的实施情况，着重于创造力和教师赋权。物理科学教师被赋予创新能力来处理科学探究，尤其是在缺少必要的科学设备的情况下。这项研究是在林波波省的一个高等教育机构（HEI）进行的，在那里，来自乡村学校的教师被特别邀请参加该大学的“国家科学周”，其中包括正在进行的持续教师职业发展（CPTD）。在“国家科学周”期间，物理科学老师参加了关于“科学即兴创作”的在职讲习班。九十（90）位自然科学老师参加了这项研究。数据是通过使用问卷和非结构化访谈产生的。该研究的结果表明，CTPD的成功与其说是在CTPD计划中花费更多的资金，不如说是用来使教师做好准备以对课堂环境的需求和要求做出适当反应的方法。文章认为，非殖民化过程应优先考虑大学的CTPD课程。这是因为，作为变革推动者的教师需要被赋予权力和重新技能，以便他们能够在非殖民化过程中走在前列。这可以通过采用鼓励即兴进行科学教学的变革性方法来实现。