Why lack of respect for the teaching profession
TALK to any young school leaver and teachers, the suggestion of considering a career in teaching is rejected as if it were the greatest insult or dumbest suggestion ever. In recent times though, a startling revelation has been the drastic decline in respect of the teaching profession.
Forget the notion that teaching was once described as a noble profession, a notion that is now under dispute among many.
Khadija Suma, head teacher of St.George Primary school once advised the new entrants in the profession to leave it as soon as they start enjoying. Her reason to this being that the fulfillment of the job is addictive and like all addictions it is very difficult to get out of it.
How is this very true?
Khadija says that there is pleasures of teaching little kids, their company, their interaction, their spontaneity, their innocence, is like fresh air in the suffocating environment of teaching that one finds oneself in, these days.
In an exclusive interview with David Otieno, a teacher student at the University of Dar es salaam, he says that teaching is a very noble profession.
Otieno says, “Indeed it is, but it is a very hard working one if you do it professionally. It has become even harder, because of the fact because if you resign and go, which most probably you would, they would have to hire a new teacher and it would be far more costly. It is ironic, but it is true.”
“Consider a senior teacher who have put years of service get less pay than the newly hired, in private schools,” he says.
Susana Lyimo, a teacher with one of private primary school in Mbagala while expressing her opinion about teaching says, “There is no charm in this profession any more, of-course anyone can be a teacher, because mostly schools don’t pay well and if they do, they suck your blood by loads of work.”
Lyimo says, “School owner hires the ones who are not qualified so that they can pay them less. The owners of the school only want to earn more profit.
“They are least bothered to improve the standard of education. If that school is in a so called ‘posh locality’, then fees will be high, but not the pay of the teachers,” says Lyimo.
Lyimo reveals another trick they have up their sleeve is that they advertise a vacancy offering good salary, when they take your interview they will offer almost half of what was advertised. According to them the advertisement was simply to attract applications.
Mwalimu Juma Kilasi, graduate in Bachelor of Science with education in the University of Dar es Salaam says, “I have been in this profession, but just don’t like it, it is a good job for married women.”
According to Kilasi women can spend half the day working in the school and look after the home and the family in the rest of the time. Working in school helps in getting rid of family tensions.
Teaching, teachers and education is the lifeblood of society.
Not a single individual can ever say they achieved what they have achieved without education playing a role in their life at one point or another.
If this is true, why do so many young people get nauseous at the suggestion of considering a career in teaching?
A few possible answers were given by stakeholders in the profession.
Huzaima Mikidadi a teacher of Mbagala Primary school argues that in a society that is as materialistic as Tanzania, a teaching profession does not pay enough to ‘make ends meet’
She says, “A lack of adequate resources for teaching is making teaching an unbearable occupation.”
“There are no titles of MD or CEO in teaching, thus however higher rank you are, you still smoke the same chalk dusts,” says Huzaima.
John Mulilu, a secondary school inspector in Dar es Salaam says that what makes people away from the professional is that many children lack discipline.
“Many parents neglect to discipline their children, some parents abuse teachers, and learners disrespect and often insult teachers, this make some teachers articulate and demonstrate a disinterest in the profession,” says Mulilu.
Mulilu adds that directionless children make life intolerable for teachers and other learners at school, thus embarrasses the professional climate.
At the University of Dar es Salaam, Didas Ombasa says that he would not dare being a teacher because teaching is a thankless profession.
Dr. Wiston Masawe, researcher and education consultant with EDUPEAK says that it is not that there is anything wrong with these professions, but without sufficient academically gifted people taking up teaching, it will become more and more difficult for the future generation to pursue these glamorous careers, as there would be no gifted teachers to prepare them for that.
What then is going wrong? Masawe answers that salaries of teachers have not kept track with the expanded lifestyle demands of the modern era.
“Compare a graduate teacher’s salary with their peers in the new fancied professions and the results are astonishing,” remarked Masawe.
He adds that more should be done to reward quality teachers because the link between reward and performance is inextricable.
According to Dr. Masawe the profession is losing its better professionals daily to the lure of better remuneration.
Again, he says, “The fact that remains undisputed though, is that teachers and the teaching profession is the fundamental architectural foundation on which society can build for the future.”
Young Mlingwa Masanja, unlike others, needs to become a teacher, but he is still in Green Valley High School.
He says, “We need teachers and the government to take on a national duty to be positive role models for young Tanzanians; encourage, motivate and even provide financial support to less fortunate scholars.”
TALK to any young school leaver and teachers, the suggestion of considering a career in teaching is rejected as if it were the greatest insult or dumbest suggestion ever. In recent times though, a startling revelation has been the drastic decline in respect of the teaching profession.
Forget the notion that teaching was once described as a noble profession, a notion that is now under dispute among many.
Khadija Suma, head teacher of St.George Primary school once advised the new entrants in the profession to leave it as soon as they start enjoying. Her reason to this being that the fulfillment of the job is addictive and like all addictions it is very difficult to get out of it.
How is this very true?
Khadija says that there is pleasures of teaching little kids, their company, their interaction, their spontaneity, their innocence, is like fresh air in the suffocating environment of teaching that one finds oneself in, these days.
In an exclusive interview with David Otieno, a teacher student at the University of Dar es salaam, he says that teaching is a very noble profession.
Otieno says, “Indeed it is, but it is a very hard working one if you do it professionally. It has become even harder, because of the fact because if you resign and go, which most probably you would, they would have to hire a new teacher and it would be far more costly. It is ironic, but it is true.”
“Consider a senior teacher who have put years of service get less pay than the newly hired, in private schools,” he says.
Susana Lyimo, a teacher with one of private primary school in Mbagala while expressing her opinion about teaching says, “There is no charm in this profession any more, of-course anyone can be a teacher, because mostly schools don’t pay well and if they do, they suck your blood by loads of work.”
Lyimo says, “School owner hires the ones who are not qualified so that they can pay them less. The owners of the school only want to earn more profit.
“They are least bothered to improve the standard of education. If that school is in a so called ‘posh locality’, then fees will be high, but not the pay of the teachers,” says Lyimo.
Lyimo reveals another trick they have up their sleeve is that they advertise a vacancy offering good salary, when they take your interview they will offer almost half of what was advertised. According to them the advertisement was simply to attract applications.
Mwalimu Juma Kilasi, graduate in Bachelor of Science with education in the University of Dar es Salaam says, “I have been in this profession, but just don’t like it, it is a good job for married women.”
According to Kilasi women can spend half the day working in the school and look after the home and the family in the rest of the time. Working in school helps in getting rid of family tensions.
Teaching, teachers and education is the lifeblood of society.
Not a single individual can ever say they achieved what they have achieved without education playing a role in their life at one point or another.
If this is true, why do so many young people get nauseous at the suggestion of considering a career in teaching?
A few possible answers were given by stakeholders in the profession.
Huzaima Mikidadi a teacher of Mbagala Primary school argues that in a society that is as materialistic as Tanzania, a teaching profession does not pay enough to ‘make ends meet’
She says, “A lack of adequate resources for teaching is making teaching an unbearable occupation.”
“There are no titles of MD or CEO in teaching, thus however higher rank you are, you still smoke the same chalk dusts,” says Huzaima.
John Mulilu, a secondary school inspector in Dar es Salaam says that what makes people away from the professional is that many children lack discipline.
“Many parents neglect to discipline their children, some parents abuse teachers, and learners disrespect and often insult teachers, this make some teachers articulate and demonstrate a disinterest in the profession,” says Mulilu.
Mulilu adds that directionless children make life intolerable for teachers and other learners at school, thus embarrasses the professional climate.
At the University of Dar es Salaam, Didas Ombasa says that he would not dare being a teacher because teaching is a thankless profession.
Dr. Wiston Masawe, researcher and education consultant with EDUPEAK says that it is not that there is anything wrong with these professions, but without sufficient academically gifted people taking up teaching, it will become more and more difficult for the future generation to pursue these glamorous careers, as there would be no gifted teachers to prepare them for that.
What then is going wrong? Masawe answers that salaries of teachers have not kept track with the expanded lifestyle demands of the modern era.
“Compare a graduate teacher’s salary with their peers in the new fancied professions and the results are astonishing,” remarked Masawe.
He adds that more should be done to reward quality teachers because the link between reward and performance is inextricable.
According to Dr. Masawe the profession is losing its better professionals daily to the lure of better remuneration.
Again, he says, “The fact that remains undisputed though, is that teachers and the teaching profession is the fundamental architectural foundation on which society can build for the future.”
Young Mlingwa Masanja, unlike others, needs to become a teacher, but he is still in Green Valley High School.
He says, “We need teachers and the government to take on a national duty to be positive role models for young Tanzanians; encourage, motivate and even provide financial support to less fortunate scholars.”
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