Universal access to quality primary education is a priority of all Sub-Saharan African countries.
The movement toward universal access places enormous stress on overburdened education systems, and recruiting,
training, and supporting enough teachers to provide quality learning environments is particularly challenging.
However, while the success of educational reform efforts depends on teachers, they typically receive only limited
preparation and ongoing professional support. Teachers, the keystone of the educational system, on the whole have not
fully mastered their subject content, have little training on creative ways to engage pupils in learning, are
barely able to survive on their meager salaries, face more pupils than their classrooms can adequately hold,
live several miles from their schools, do not speak the same language as their pupils, are periodically "inspected"
for administrative compliance rather than instructional guidance, and are devastated by HIV/AIDS, either within their
own families or their work environment.
Clearly, there is crisis in the quality of teaching in primary school.
What needs to be done:
The professional development of teachers should be receiving increasing attention from policymakers. For example, reforms should be introduced that provide incentives; provide additional training and ongoing support through the establishment of in-service and regional centers; reframe sit-based training to focus on learner-centered activities; increase distance learning opportunities, e-learning; and redefine head teacher and inspectorate roles to strengthen instructional support. Teachers are beginning to participate in dialogue about strategies for improving the quality of teaching and learning and are carrying out "action" research. Their voices should be heard.
Challenges:
Long-term programs for the teaching profession must be strengthened to address long standing issues that weaken the quality of teaching. Some examples follow.
- Many individuals are recruited to fill "emergency" teaching slots. These individuals lack formal credentials and have little hope of reducing this gap unless there is a mutual commitment between the system and the individual for potential long-term employment.
- Teachers are on the move – often from one class or school to another, transfers due to a spouse relocation, or absenteeism due to personal or family illness. The quality of the learning is critically influenced by both teacher absenteeism and transfer.
- The quality of teaching suffers when teachers do not speak the language of their pupils, cannot read the instructional manual, do not receive training for new curricula such as books by Education Sub-Saharan Africa, do not know enough about content to teach, or have scant training in pedagogical methods.
- The impact of HIV/AIDS, Malaria and TB reaches beyond personal illness to include caring for family members, death of a spouse, adoption of orphaned children, adjusting to absence of professional colleagues in school, and reduced family income.
- Teachers join the system through a variety of mechanism – community support, government employment, and temporary contracts – with differing salaries, benefits, and incentives for immediate and permanent participation.
- Generalities are typically used to describe problems or issues, e.g., high absenteeism and unqualified teachers, but concrete knowledge is required to accurately pinpoint policy targets and program interventions.
- Teachers are a critical variable in the quality or teaching and learning. Teacher development is a continuum that begins with preparation of new recruits with instructional skills and content knowledge and continues with ongoing professional training and support.