There is a teacher motivation crisis in Tanzania school. Discuss
More than ever before, primary and secondary school teachers are under tremendous pressure from politicians, parents, and local communities to deliver quality education to all children. But, how likely is it that they will respond to this challenge, given their current levels of pay and their working and living conditions? There are, in fact, growing concerns that teachers are becoming increasingly de-motivated, which contributes to deteriorating teacher performance and learning outcomes. Poor incentives mean that far too few qualified and experienced teachers wish to work in rural areas. The unavoidable conclusion is that most schooling systems are faced with what amounts to a teacher motivation crisis, which has far reaching implications for the education Millennium Development Goals for basic education and for development as a whole.
This paper aims to examine the extent to which there is an ongoing motivation crisis in Tanzanian schools and also give recommendations on what should be done to ensure that teachers are adequately motivated.
2.0. INTRODUCTION
Here in introduction, the paper is going to describe briefly about the key concept used in this paper, teachers’ motivation in the context of Tanzania primary and secondary schools, also the paper’s introduction tries to explain the important of motivation theories (hierarch of need theory, Herzberg’s two factor theory, and Vroom’s expectancy model) in work, particularly for teaching and its relevance in education system in Tanzania.
2.1. KEY CONCEPTS.
This paper makes extensive use of the concepts of motivation, teacher’s motivation, job satisfaction and incentives. Hoy and Miskel (1991) define work motivation as a combination of factors that “start and maintain work-related behaviors toward the achievement of personal goals”. Cole (2004) defined motivation as the term used to describe those processes both instinctive and rationale by which people seek to satisfy the basic drives, perceived needs and personnel goals which trigger human behavior.
Bennel (2004) defines teacher’s motivation as refers to the psychological process that influence individual behavior with respect to the attainment of work place goals and tasks
Incentives, refers to deliberate efforts to encourage desired work motivation. Although “extrinsic incentives” tend to attract the most attention, attempts to improve the substance of teachers’ work, such as improvement of teaching materials or in-service training, can also be significant incentives. (Hoy and Miskel, 1991)
2.2. MOTIVATION THEORIES, ITS IMPLICATIONS AND IMPORTANCE IN TEACHERS’ WORK.
Following are important motivational theories for workers especial teachers, their implication and importance in education system.
- Hierarchy of needs theory. This theory developed by Abraham Maslow, explained about lower-order and higher-order needs affect workplace behavior and attitudes. Lower-order needs including physiological, safety, and social needs. Desires for physical and social well being. Higher-order needs includes esteem and self-actualization needs. Desire for psychological growth and development
Maslow’s theory has been considered important as it has made a management aware of various needs of people. The management of an organization such as a school has the role of ensuring that it creates an environment where employees can achieve these levels of motivation in the work place.
- Herzberg’s Two Factor Theory. This theory was developed by Frederick Herzberg. He studied work motivation of people and came up with two categories of factors. These are hygiene factors and motivating factors.
Hygiene factors describe the employee’s relationship to the environment in which he performs work. The environment in this case includes policies and administration, supervision, salary, interpersonal relations with the supervisors and working conditions. When these factors fall below what an employee considers acceptable, he or she becomes dissatisfied
Motivator, they are commonly referred to as intrinsic factors or satisfiers. Motivating factors relate to what an employee does in his place of work. Achievement, recognition for accomplishment, challenging work, increased responsibility, growth and development are some of the motivating factors.
Vroom’s Expectancy Model. This theory is based on the belief that motivation is Determined by the kind of reward people expect to receive as a result of their job performance. The main assumption is that a person is rational and will try to maximize his perceived value of such rewards. He will choose an alternative that gives the highest benefit
The implication of this theory to a school head of an institution is that he/she must recognize and determine the situation as it exist and take steps to improve these factors of expectancy which will lead to high motivation for his workers.
2.3. TEACHERS’ MOTIVATION IN TANZANIAN SCHOOLS CONTEXT.
In Tanzania, as elsewhere, universal primary and secondary education with acceptable learning outcomes can only be attained if teachers are adequately motivated. Teachers also have a critical role to play in supporting development activities in the wider community. In short, teachers are central to the realization of ambitious national and international education and poverty reduction goals. However, there are growing concerns that teachers in Tanzania, as in other developing countries, are increasingly de-motivated, which is reflected in deteriorating teaching performance and learning outcomes. The 1995 Education and Training Policy noted that ‘in Tanzania, teachers have experienced low and irregular salary payments, lack of proper housing, inadequate teaching facilities, low status and limited opportunities for professional development’ (p.31).
Behavior and performance of teachers, which relate directly to low levels of motivation and job satisfaction including poor professional behavior (lateness, absenteeism, laziness) seriously compromises schooling quality and learning outcomes. Poor teacher motivation and inadequate incentives have far-reaching adverse impacts on the behavior and overall performance of primary and secondary school teachers and thus learning outcomes become poor.
Therefore, the effective implementation of these theories in education will improve the teachers’ efficiency and commitment to their working places, since they are satisfied with different working conditions.
3. 1. MOTIVATION CRISS IN TANZANIAN SCHOOLS
- There is low motivations among teachers in Tanzanian schools, this is manifested by poor professional behavior such as lateness, absenteeism laziness and seriously compromises schooling quality and learning outcomes. In the most primary and secondary schools in Tanzania, there are strong evidences that the vast majority of teachers are unhappy with their salaries, housing arrangements, benefits, workload, and status within their communities (MOEC 2003, 2004a; Davidson 2004, 2005; Sumra 2004b; Haki Elimu 2005).The following are the explanation of how the above factors contribute much to the existence of motivation crisis in Tanzania schools particularly primary and secondary schools.
- Pay and other benefits. Tanzanian teachers’ salary are very poor both primary and secondary school. According to World Bank (1990) there is little attention and analysis of teacher remuneration has been undertaken in Tanzania, this is because there has been no collective bargaining over pay. Also allowance for transport and housing are currently not paid to teachers, however had not been the case during 1980’s teacher receive teaching allowance which was around 50% of their basic salary. Teachers’ salaries are inadequate so that they are not able to manage to do expenditure on some major items (particularly food, housing and Transport)
- Poor living condition; the living conditions of most teachers are unsatisfactory and for many, they are intolerable. The availability of reasonable quality and affordable housing within easy travelling distance of the school is a key issue for near all teachers. For example the poor living condition and lack of enough housing, long distance from home to school and poor medical aids are received from government health facilities especial in rural areas.
- School location and infrastructure; the school in both urban and rural areas are not attractive this is because there are poor classroom and school buildings with inadequate or poor infrastructure such as unavailability of permanent water sources and electricity supply. Some schools are located far from the point of availability of social services such as hospitals, transport, and markets. Most schools compounds haven’t enough security for teachers and their family. Together with inadequate infrastructure, primary and secondary schools in Tanzania lack enough teaching and learning materials and aids, example books, chalks, and teaching aids such as chats, map and laboratory equipment.
- Teachers work load. The most widely used indicator for measuring variations in teacher workload is the teacher- pupil ratio. In Tanzania primary schools the basic official teacher- pupil ratio is 1:45 but in most cases the ratio is under 1:80 although the national standard is large also. In secondary school also there is inadequate of teachers especial whose teach science subjects, the 2004 PEDP Review Team concludes that ‘teacher deployment is not being undertaken on an equitable basis’ (p. 44). The large variations in the number of periods taught by teachers in the same school can generate a strong sense of unfairness, which is further compounded by the lack of performance-based promotion; this tends to be seriously de-motivating for teachers with relatively large teaching loads.
- Teacher management. Teachers’ motivation depends critical on effective management, particularly at school lever. If systems and structures set up in manage and support teachers are dysfunctional, teachers are likely to lose their sense of professional responsibility and commitment.
3.2. EFFECTS OF TEACHERS’ LOW MOTIVATION.
All the country case studies conclude that poor teacher motivation and inadequate incentives have far reaching adverse impacts on the behavior and overall performance of primary school teachers and thus learning outcomes. The following are the major consequences of low teachers’ motivations and how affect students’ performance and the overall effectiveness of national education systems in Tanzania
Teachers’ turnover. Because teachers are not motivated, some of them decided to leave teacher professional and engaging in other professional whom they think are better compared to educational career. Example high rates of teacher attrition through resignations are a key indicator of low levels of teacher job satisfaction and motivation.
Teacher’s absenteeism. Since teachers are demoralized they decide to opt other activities they think may increase their earning. Example some teachers do petty businesses such as selling foods, small shops, agriculture activities and gardening.
Low morale and job satisfaction. Demotivation of teachers can lead to lack of morale and job dissatisfaction. This can lead to poor quality of teaching practice among teachers, which later can result into poor student’s academic performance, as a teacher may ignore to use proper teaching strategies (participatory methods)
4. CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS ABOUT TEACHERS’ MOTIVATION IN TANZANIA EDUCATION.
Teacher motivation may be seen as an important element in the quality of educational provision. Although teachers, as members of a profession, are supposed to internalize an ethic of services and commitment to their pupils, they do not work in isolation and have only a limited scope for controlling their working environment. The quality of their motivation is strongly influenced by the actions and attitudes of educational administrators, other teachers, pupils and members of the local community. Educational systems which do not provide a satisfactory physical environment for learning, competent school administration and a large enough body of qualified teachers are likely to have problems with teacher motivation. Poor motivation in turn, can result in behavior that adversely affects pupils’ learning and the image of teaching.
The main conclusions can be drawn from this paper is that, while job satisfaction and motivation levels among primary and secondary school teachers in Tanzania are not critically good as is suggested by UNESCO (2005), They are still far below what are required in order to ensure that teachers deliver quality basic education to all children as millennium goal by 2025.If government and other stakeholders do not take strong and early solution of the problem, teacher motivation will decline and this will seriously affect teaching and learning on the part of the pupils.
RECOMMENDATIONS
Teachers’ pay and career structure: Revisions of teachers’ salary scales should as far as possible match with the rate of inflation. Tanzania should raise its income tax thresholds so that taxation is not so heavy on low salary earners such as primary school teachers
Pre-service and in-service teacher education: The output of pre-service teacher education for the primary and secondary level should be increased to fit the national demand.
Special training must be offered to prepare selected teachers for positions of leadership in primary and secondary education, especially that of head teachers.
Unqualified teachers who are already in the system but do not hold a full qualification should be given remedial studies or bridging courses to enable them to be updated with new ways of teaching and develop their career.
There should be permanent in-service programs in order to update teachers with changes in procedures and practice of teaching for professional development.
Establishment of independent Teachers’ Service Professional Board: The main functions of the association would be to: teacher training accreditation and teacher registration, enforcement of profession standards, provision of in-service training, elimination of ad hoc hiring of teachers.
Teachers’ rights. These include (i) new procedures to deal expeditiously with teachers’ complaints and other issues; (ii) taking firm and prompt action against officials who misuse financial resources intended for teacher remuneration; (iii) better housing and essential infrastructure such as water and electricity (iv) payment of a Teacher Special Hardship Allowance; (v) full participation of the Teachers’ Trade Union in policy and curriculum reviews; (vi) Improved health insurance services, including the availability of drugs; (vii) The Teachers’ Service Department should cover all teachers, regardless of level or type of education.
Working conditions and professional support: Community self-help projects should be encouraged in order to make more staff housing available, especially for new teachers, so that teachers can live nearer to schools.
The MoEVT should assume more responsibility for providing physical facilities in partnership with the school managing bodies and local communities. This will ensure the number of teachers in classrooms in relation to the number of pupils to be admitted. Toilets and water supply should be enough for all staff and pupils.
REFERENCES
World Bank, (1990) Conditions of service among primary and secondary teachers in Tanzania. Research report. Published by UN World Bank Washington DC.
Bennell P. (2004) Teacher Motivation and Incentive in Sub-Sahara Africa and Asia. Brighton: Knowledge and Skills for Development
Cole, G.A. (2004), Management Theories and Practice 6th Edition. London, Published by Thomson Leaving.
United Republic of Tanzania (2004) Basic statistics in education. Ministry of Education and Culture, Dar es Salaam. July
Hoy, W.K., & Miskel, C.G. (1991). Educational administration: Theory, Research and Practice. New York: McGraw Hill.
Swai, F., A. Mtavangu, and N.N.F. Shami, 2004, Study on job satisfaction and motivation in teaching in relation to quality EFA initiatives. FSSS International, Dar es Salaam
Haki Elimu. 2005. Three years of PEDP implementation: Key findings from government reviews. Dar es Salaam, Tanzania: Haki Elimu. Available at: www.tzonline.org/pdf/threeyearsofPEDPimplementation.pdf
Sumra, S. 2004b. The living and working conditions of teachers in Tanzania: A research report. Dar es Salaam: HakiElimu and the Tanzania Teachers Union. Available at: www.hakielimu.org/Living_work_cond.pdf.
UNESCO. 2005. EFA global monitoring report 2005: Education for all, the quality imperative. Paris, France: UNESCO.
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