This study sought to investigate school district and teacher related barriers to continuous professional learning and development through university education in the Elliotdale Circuit of the Dutywa Education District, South Africa. The research was a qualitative study based on Bioecological Model of Human Development Theory. A sample size of twenty-two (22) respondents (principals, teachers and subject advisors) was used. Face-to-face in-depth individual interviews were conducted using an open-ended interview schedule. Data were analysed thematically. The study found the following to be the barriers to teacher continuous professional learning and development through university education in the Elliotdale Circuit: long hours of travel to and from school by teachers, long distance between the Elliotdale Circuit and cities where Higher Education Institution are situated, deprived and underdeveloped nature of the circuit, teacher workload, insufficient time for further studies, inadequate support from the education district, inadequate information on sources of financial support and bursaries, laziness on the part of teachers and teachers’ self-sufficiency with their current qualifications. Recommendations made were that the Department of Education should make provisions for continuous self-improvement of all teachers in the circuit; the Education Circuit should work with all school principals to support teachers financially to embark on further studies. School Management Teams should work hand in hand with the District Education to organize career guidance workshop for all teachers focusing on the need for teachers to move from their comfort zones and to upgrade their teaching qualifications in the education system.

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