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Understanding the determinants of teacher absenteeism in Sub-Saharan Africa: a comparative analysis of eight countries

Wed, April 17, 10:00 to 11:30am, Hyatt Regency, Floor: Atrium (Level 2), Waterfront C

Group Submission Type: Formal Panel Session

Proposal

Teachers attending classes and engaging in effective teaching is a critical prerequisite to educating school-going children. Recent evidence shows that the rate of teachers’ time-on-task is less than half of contracted teaching time in sub-Saharan Africa (Bold et al 2017; Filmer 2015). Teacher absenteeism and low time on task are also recognized as major elements of the ineffectiveness of education systems in the region by key education stakeholders and society more broadly. Yet, the evidence base on how policies and practices, at various level of the education system influence teacher absenteeism, remains scant.

This panel brings together a group of researchers, who work on the Time to Teach (TTT) project – a multi-country study led by the UNICEF Office of Research and supported by a large network of partners, including donors (DFID, Gates Foundation, World Bank), UNICEF Country and Regional Offices, and national governments. The key aim of the study is to deepen understanding of the determinants of teacher attendance in primary schools and teacher motivations to teach - as they relate to both extrinsic and intrinsic incentives – in eight Eastern and Southern Africa (ESA) countries (Mozambique, Comoros, Kenya, Rwanda, Uganda, South Sudan, Puntland (Somalia), Tanzania). By employing a multilevel concept of teacher absenteeism, a range of qualitative research methods, and a systemic explanatory framework, the study aims to identify the determinants of four different types of teacher absenteeism (Type 1: absence from school; Type 2: absence from classroom; Type 3: absence from teaching; and Type 4: absence from pedagogy and content knowledge). The study is expected to be complete by Spring 2019. Its key outputs will be practical recommendations for systemic and policy reform in participating countries, including implementation strategies for making positive impacts on teacher-student interaction time to boost student achievements.

This panel will give Time to Teach researchers the opportunity to present key findings and reflect on research outcomes and processes. Emphasis will be placed on findings emerging from the analysis of primary data, collected through 1,200 semi-structured interviews, 160 focus group discussions, and 2,400 close-ended surveys with key education stakeholders in the region (teachers, head teachers, students, community leaders, and national and subnational education officers). Findings from a representative country case study (Uganda) will be presented to foster in-depth understanding of the complex factors that contribute to low teacher attendance in individual countries. Regional trends and patterns in teacher absenteeism identified through the comparative analysis of individual country data will also be presented and discussed. Finally, the presenters will share experiences on doing qualitative research in complex environments. Of particular interest are questions about the potentials and pitfalls of adopting an ethnographic approach to school-based research in developing and fragile settings. Overall, the panel will offer an opportunity for researchers to distill key lessons learned and engage in a discussion with the audience about the usefulness and replicability of the study in Sub-Saharan Africa and beyond.

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