Why are teachers absent?: Case in public primary schools in Uganda

• In Event: Access to high quality education

Abstract

1. Background of the paper
On June 4th in 2014, the Global Education For All Meeting was held in Muscat, Oman, and a global goal and targets for the post-2015 education agenda was discussed. The overall goal was decided as “Ensure equitable and inclusive quality education and lifelong learning for all by 2030.” In order to achieve this goal, it includes seven global education targets. Among them, target 6 is set as “By 2030, all governments ensure that all learners are taught by qualified, professionally-trained, motivated and well-supported teachers.” As this target shows, an issue of quality teaching is regarded as important in post-2015.
As the target 6 of Muscat meeting shows, quality teaching is one of the key issues of educational development in post-2015. There are various ways to improve the quality of teaching, and one of them is teacher absenteeism. It can damage quality of education in classroom, as Miller (2007) says. Among Sub-Saharan African countries, especially Uganda has high rate of teacher absenteeism.

2. Objectives of the paper
This study aims to clarify causual factors of teacher absenteeism, through qualitative methodology. The analysis is based on field work in Northern region of Uganda in 2014, and focuses on teachers in public primary schools. The methodology of the study will be explained in detail later.

3. Main perspective utilized
Okurut (2012) conducted interviews and focus group discussions for teachers in Uganda, and concluded that this teacher absenteeism can attribute to several causes: transportation conditions; the lack of houses; the low level of salary; poor supervision; the lack of motivation; weak competency of teachers. Among them, especially salary related issues said to be very critical by a commissioner of Uganda National Teachers’ Union (UNATU) in the semi-structured interview by the author . Based on these perspectives, this study will try to identify determinant factors of teacher absenteeism.

4. Research design
In this study, a field-study was conducted in specific two districts in Uganda during September 25th and October 3rd. According to school inspection reports, these two districts have high rate of teacher absenteeism , and they are included in Northern region of Uganda, which has high rate of teacher absenteeism (UNESCO; 2007 ). In the field-study, 14 schools were randomly selected and semi-structured interviews and questionnaires were given to teachers there.

5. Results
Through the field work and analysis, several causal factors were identified. They are classified into two groups: pecuniary group and non-pecuniary group. Pecuniary group includes; low salary for teachers, late payment to teachers, and low possibility of salary increment. On the other hand, non-pecuniary group consists of three sub-category; workload and working environment, infrastructure, and career opportunity. First, category of workload and working environment includes; overpopulated classes, too much administrative work, rather than teaching work itself, and inexistence of feeding for teachers. Second, category of infrastructure is made up of: unavailability of facility in schools and classes, unavailability of health facilities, inadequate transport to schools, and poor condition of accommodation. Third, category of career opportunity includes; lack of opportunity to enhance career, and lack of scholarships for career enhancement.

6. Significance of the study to the field of comparative education
One of the most important studies which analyze issue of teacher absenteeism in Uganda is Okurut (2012). It identified several causes of teacher absenteeism through qualitative methodology. However, the study was done for only primary schools included in specific projects. On the other hand, this study focuses on primary schools, selected randomly and included in areas which have high rate of teacher absenteeism.

7. Reference
Miller, Murnane, & Willett. 2007. “Do worker absences affect productivity?” International Labor Review. Vol. 147. No. 1. 71-89.
Okurut, Henry Edison. 2012. “Causes and Magnitude of Teacher Absenteeism in the Rights.” Education and Development (READ) Project Schools in Uganda. Kampala: Build Africa.
Interview by the author to the commissioner of Uganda National Teachers’ Union (UNATU), September 11th, 2014.
Nebbi district local government education department. 2014. “Third and fourth quarter schools inspection reports 2013/2014.”
Zombo district local government education department. 2014. “Third and fourth quarter schools inspection reports 2013/2014.”

Author

• Takeru Numasawa, Graduate School of International Cooperation Studies, GSICS