Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed by the author(s) do not represent the official position of Barbados TODAY.
By Wayne Campbell
“Teachers play a vital role in our societies, yet this profession is facing a major vocations crisis. Some regions of the world lack candidates. Other regions face a very high dropout rate during the first few years of work. In both cases, the answer is the same: we must better value, better train and better support teachers.” – Audrey Azoulay, UNESCO Director-General.
Globally, teachers are underappreciated. It is often said that teaching is a vocation and this is probably part of the litany of problems associated with the profession. It is a widely held view that the service the teacher provides should not be adequately compensated. As a result, many teachers live paycheque to paycheque, just above the poverty line. The truth is, being a teacher is probably not the first choice regarding a career for most of us. This low value placed on this category of workers is seen especially in the low remuneration packages. Additionally, teaching has become a high-stress job. Regrettably, the classroom has become a battlefield of sorts as teachers are verbally and physically abused daily by students. Unfortunately, many teachers have their battle scars and personal stories to attest to the dangers of being a member of this profession. Sadly, in a significant number of instances, not much is done by the administration and, therefore, the perpetual abuses of teachers continue.
However, being a teacher provides the matchless opportunity to make a transformative and lasting impact on the lives of others. The feeling that one gets when a student tells you thanks for your service is indescribable and priceless. A teacher has the ability to influence sustainable futures not only for their students but also on a societal level. This unique ability of teachers adds greatly to personal fulfilment.
On the other hand, the world faces an unprecedented global teacher shortage, exacerbated by a decline in their working conditions and status. World Teachers’ Day is held annually on October 5 to celebrate all teachers around the globe. It has been celebrated since 1994. It is a day to celebrate how teachers are transforming education but also to reflect on the support they need to fully deploy their talent and vocation and to rethink the way ahead for the profession globally.
This year’s theme is The Teachers we Need for the Education we Want: The Global Imperative to Reverse the Teacher Shortage.
The United Nations states that 44 million teachers are still needed to achieve the goal of providing primary and secondary education for all by 2030. The problem is not only one of funding but also the unattractiveness of the profession. The UN adds that low salaries also make the profession less attractive. Globally, only one in two countries pay primary school teachers as much or more than other professions requiring a similar qualification level. The phenomenon is amplified in Europe and North America, where there are only 3 countries out of 10. At the upper secondary level, many high-income countries pay teachers 75 per cent or less than the salary paid in other comparable professions.
Males in Education
Male teachers generally leave the profession at higher rates than their female colleagues. Global male attrition rates in 2021 were 9.2 per cent for primary teachers compared to the female rate of 4.2 per cent. This is particularly due to the fact that men often have more professional opportunities in other sectors and can change careers more easily, and the gender biases, including beliefs concerning who should be responsible for children’s education. This gender bias regarding teaching should be interrogated in more detail, especially to capture more data from the Caribbean. Governments globally are not particularly serious about addressing the concerns of teachers. Additionally, many teachers’ unions are woefully lacking in their representation. These factors are among other concerns that have removed the shine on the profession over the years and have immensely contributed to the high attrition rate of teachers.
A Socio-Cultural Accounting
Teachers in the Caribbean are not a unitary category. This fact has facilitated a culture of discrimination among the various categories of teachers. Interestingly, everyone knows the duty and function of a teacher – at least they think they do. Given this flawed mindset, there are those in some circles who are of the view that teachers are not doing much. Teacher bashing is not new; however, in recent times there has been an uptick in the frequency and intensity of this bashing of members of the profession.
As Spencer (1996) noted, teacher bashing tells less about teachers and more about the perspectives and interests of those levelling the charges. Teachers’ relatively low status in society means that those in higher-status positions can define their rights, duties and obligations as well as assess them. Further, one status group can present itself as superior to others by criticising them. Given our right to freedom of expression, in the Caribbean, teacher bashing has been the norm in every generation.
In Jamaica and in Barbados at the secondary level, schools are governed by individual school boards that hire and fire the teachers, discipline students, conduct their own financial affairs and manage the day-to-day operations of the schools. In these two countries, there is a substantial degree of school-based management. In Antigua and Barbuda, The Bahamas, Guyana, St Kitts and Nevis, St Vincent and the Grenadines, Trinidad and Tobago, and the Turks and Caicos Islands, schools are run directly by the Ministry of Education. Teachers are employed directly by the government and can therefore be transferred by the ministry from one school to the next. These different forms of governance result in different terms and conditions of service for teachers, largely because of the different legal frameworks that apply concerning governance.
Sustainable Development Goal
Access to education has long been enshrined as a fundamental human right. However, with every right, there is a responsibility. Unfortunately, over the years, too much lip service has been given to the funding of education systems. Governments have a responsibility and duty to properly fund education systems. The United Nations Sustainable Development Goal #4 addresses Quality Education. Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, the world was already off-track in achieving its education targets. The UN estimates that 84 million children and young people will still be out of school and an estimated 300 million students will still not have the basic numeracy and literacy skills they need to succeed in life. This is problematic and needs urgent global attention. In order to deliver SDG4, education systems must be re-imagined, and education financing must become a priority for national investment and development.
Development of Teachers
In many countries, the role and functioning of schools are changing. Teachers are asked to teach in increasingly multicultural classrooms; to place greater emphasis on integrating students with special learning needs in their classrooms; to make more effective use of information and communication technologies for teaching; to engage more in planning within evaluative and accountability frameworks; and to do more to involve parents in schools.
Teachers are also being called upon to include differentiated teaching and learning approaches in order to cater to the differences in learning styles between boys and girls. While more is being demanded of the teacher, in many instances teachers do not have the requisite skill sets to address the various maladaptive and learning challenges of the average class size of 40 students.
By constantly overlooking the well-being of our teachers, we continue to rob the nation’s children of their future. As we observe World Teachers’ Day, education systems should seek to provide teachers with opportunities for in-service professional development in order to maintain a high standard of teaching and retain a high-quality teacher workforce. Governments must put aside the necessary funding in order to train teachers for the education we desire for our societies. The compensation of teachers must also be reviewed in order for teachers to earn a livable wage as well as a livable pension.
Psychology Today describes teacher burnout as a state of chronic stress that leads to physical and emotional exhaustion, cynicism, detachment, and feelings of ineffectiveness and lack of accomplishment. Many teachers are experiencing teacher burnout. We must therefore implement measures to minimise teacher burnout and address mental health issues for the teacher.
It is important for us to reimagine the education system in which more value is placed on teachers, especially in terms of working conditions and remuneration. Happy World Teachers’ Day!
In the words of William Arthur Ward, the mediocre teacher tells. The good teacher explains. The superior teacher demonstrates. The great teacher inspires.
Wayne Campbell is an educator and social commentator with an interest in development policies as they affect culture and or gender issues.
