Teachers' Feelings About the Status of the Teaching Profession and Associated Factors in Tanzania
Year 2023,
Volume: 12 Issue: 2, 171 - 192, 31.08.2023
Rhoda Kihwele
Jimmy Kıhwele
Abstract
This study explored secondary school teachers' feelings about their teaching profession and the factors responsible for their feelings. This phenomenology study draws its findings from the lived experience of secondary school teachers with varying working experience levels. Informed by the qualitative inquiry, the paper is mainly empirical and employs interviews and focus group discussions in the data collection process. Findings reveal that teachers and the teaching profession have lower status nowadays than before and after independence, which makes teachers feel bad about their profession. Society regards the teaching profession as the last choice for those who have no other choice and poor living and working conditions. The findings further revealed that low salaries, rare or no teacher professional development, misconduct of teachers and lack of board are factors responsible for negative feelings in the teaching profession. Hence, the revival of the lost status of the teaching profession remains in the hands of educational authorities and education stakeholders. Future studies should focus on the impact of teachers' feelings on their professional well-being and its influence on teaching practices.
References
- Ajayi, K. (2007). Emergent issue in teacher education and professionalization of teaching in Nigeria. African journal of historical sciences in education, 3 (1); 5 -25.
- Anangisye, W. A. L. (2009). The current status of teachers and the teaching profession in Tanzania. Lwati: A Journal of Contemporary Research 6(1), 26-38. https://doi.org/10.4314/lwati.v6i1.46497
- Anold, E. & Mwila, P. M. (2022). Teacher professional code of conduct: Its effect on teaching and learning process in public secondary schools in Busega District, Simiyu, Tanzania. International Journal of Research and Innovation in Social Science (IJRISS), VI (IX), 607-612.
- Balyer, A. & Özcan, K. (2020). Teachers' perceptions on their awareness of social roles and efforts to perform these roles. South African Journal of Education, 40(2). 1-9 https://doi.org/10.15700/saje.v40n2a1723
- Bengtsson, M. (2016). How to plan and perform a qualitative study using content analysis. NursingPlus Open, 2(2016), 8-14. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.npls.2016.01.001
- Braun, K. L. V., & Clarke, V. (2019). Being both narrative practitioner and academic researcher: A reflection on what thematic analysis has to offer narratively informed research. International Journal of Narrative Therapy & Community Work, 4, 86–98.
- Christensen, L. S. & Darling, A. J. (2020). Sexual abuse by educators: A comparison between male and female teachers who sexually abuse students. Journal of Sexual Aggression, 26(1). 25-35. https://doi.org/10.1080/13552600.2019.1616119
- Cleland. A. J. (2017). The qualitative orientation in medical education research. Korean Journal of Medical Education, 29(2), 61-71. https://doi.org/10.3946/kjme.2017.53
- Creswell, J. W. (2014). Research design: Qualitative, quantitative and mixed methods approaches (4th Ed.). SAGE publications, Inc.
- Dada, S. & Fadokun, J. B. (2010). Professional ethics in teaching: The training and development challenge. The Distance Education and Teacher's Training in Africa (DETA) 2009 Conference, August 2009, Ghana. Africa Council of Distance Education. Retrieved on 23/01/2018 from http://www.data.up.ac.za/presentations/word/dat
- Emeh, J. U. & Ogaboh, A. (2010). Professionalising teaching in Nigeria for effective service delivery and national development. European Journal of Social Sciences. 17(3), 352-359.
- Fauziah, A. Kim, M. Aye, M. Hakizimana, & V. Hur, J. (2021). Impact of the society's perception on teachers' professionalism. Journal of Education and Learning, 15(4). 545-551. https://doi.org/10.11591/edulearn.v15i4.20292
- Fry, L. (2002). What makes teachers tick? A policy research report on teachers' motivation in developing countries. Voluntary Service Overseas (VSO). https://bibalex.org/baifa/en/resources/document/288470
- Griffin, E. M. (2011). A first look at communication theory. McGraw-Hill College.
- Gundumogula, M. (2020) Importance of focus groups in qualitative research. The International Journal of Humanities & Social Studies 8(11), 29 - 302. http://dx.doi.org/10.24940/theijhss%2F2020%2Fv8%2Fi11%2FHS2011-082
- Hargreaves, A. & Tucker, E. (1991). Teaching and guilt: Exploring the feelings of teaching. Teaching and Teacher Education, 7(5-6), 491-505. https://doi.org/10.1016/0742-051X(91)90044-P
- Hargreaves, L., Cunningham, M., Hansen, A., McLintyre, D., & Oliver, C. (2007). The status of the teachers and teaching profession in England: Views from inside and outside the profession. University of Cambridge Faculty of Education and Department of Media and Communication, University of Leicester. https://www.educ.cam.ac.uk/research/programmes/teacherstatus/Summaryreport_25Jan07_print_ready_version.pdf
- Ishumi, A. G. M. (2013). The teaching profession and teacher education: Trends and challenges in the twenty-first century. Africa Education Review, 10(1), 89-116. https://doi.org/10.1080/18146627.2013.855435
- Kasuga, W. (2019). Teaching profession in Tanzania: Unequal profession among the equal professions. International Journal of Recent Innovations in Academic Research, 3(4), 86-106. https://www.ijriar.com/index.php/ijriar/article/view/267
- Koda, G. (2014). Professional development for science and mathematics teachers in Tanzanian secondary schools. Papers in Education and Development, 32, 142-166. https://journals.udsm.ac.tz/index.php/ped/article/view/1470
- Komba, S. C. & Mwakabenga, R. J. (2019). Teacher professional development in Tanzania: Challenges and opportunity. In S. Hülya, (Ed.). Educational leadership (pp. 1-12). IntechOpen. https://doi.org/10.5772/intechopen.90564
- Komba, W. L. & Nkumbi, E. (2008). Teacher Professional Development in Tanzania: Perceptions and Practices. Journal of International Cooperation in Education, 11(3), 67–83. https://doi.org/10.15027/34311
- Lawrent, G. (2022). Teacher ethics in the Tanzanian context and their implications. Teaching and Teacher Education. 120(2022), 1-9. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tate.2022.103900.
- Liamputtong, P. (2019). Qualitative inquiry. In P. Liamputtong. (ed). Handbook of research methods in
health social science (pp. 2-25). Springer. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-10-5251-4_53
- Maslow, A. H. (1954). Motivation and personality (1st Ed.). Harper & Row Publishers.
- Madero, C. (2021). Because I am called: How a calling to teach emerges and develops in teachers working in catholic high schools. Teaching and Teacher Education, 101, 1-13.
- Matveev, V. (2021). Teachers job satisfaction and desire to leave the profession. European Publisher, Vol 114, (pp.1-778). https://doi.org/10.15405/epsbs.2021.07.02.75
- Merriam-Webster Dictionary, (2023). Dictionary of words for feelings, mood and emotions. Retrieved on 9th August, 2023 21:20 from https://www.google.com/search?q=what+is+feelings+merriam+webster.pdf&sxsrf=AB5stBgpAcuBxptdE
- Mgaiwa, S. J. (2018). Emerging fundamental issues of teacher education in Tanzania: A reflection of practices. Educational Process: International Journal, 7(4), 246-264.
- Milner, H. R. (2013). Policy Reforms and De-professionalization of Teaching. National Education Policy Center. 1-29. https://nepc.colorado.edu/publication/policy-reforms-deprofessionalization
- Mkumbo, K. A. K. (2017). Teachers' commitment to, and experiences of, the teaching profession in Tanzania: Findings of focus group research. International Education Studies, 5(3), 222-227. https://doi.org/10.5539/ies.v5n3p222
- Mugo, E. W & Hiyo, W. (2018). Factors contributing to labour turnover among public secondary school teachers in Kenya: a case of Embu County. International Journal of Economics, Commerce and Management, 6(2), 363-384.
- Mulligan, K., & Sherer, K. R. (2012). Toward a working definition of emotion. Emotion Review, 4(4), 345–357. https://doi.org/10.1177/1754073912445818
- Mutluer, Ö. & Yüksel, S. (2019). The social status of the teaching profession: A phenomenological study. Journal of Teacher Education and Educators, 8(2), 183-203. https://dergipark.org.tr/tr/download/article-file/797156
- Namamba, A., & Rao, C. (2017). Preparation and professional development of teachers' educators in Tanzania: Current practices and prospects. Journal of Education and Practice, 8, 136–145.
- Nayak, S. & Padhi, S. K. (2022). Teachers' autonomy in the teaching profession. International Journal of Creative Research Thoughts (IJCRT), 10(8). 805-813.
- Nyumba, T. O., Wilson, K., Derrick, C. J. & Mukherjee, N. (2017). The use of focus group discussion methodology: Insights from two decades of application in conservation. Methods in Ecology and Evolution, 9(1), 20-32 https://doi.org/10.1111/2041-210X.12860
- Okafor, A., & Abraham, N. M. (2021) Maslow's hierarchy of needs theory: Relationship between the higher needs and teachers' service delivery in public secondary schools in Rivers State, Nigeria. International Journal of Innovative Education Research 9(2), 172-179.
- Omari, I. M. (1995). Conceptualising quality in primary education. Papers in Education and Development, 16, 25-48.
- Patton, M. Q. (2015). Qualitative research and evaluation methods: Integrating theory and practice (4th Ed.). SAGE Publications.
- Pekrun, R., Goetz, T., Titz, W., & Perry, R. P. (2002). Academic emotions in students' self-regulated learning and achievement: A program of qualitative and quantitative research. Educational Psychologist, 37(2), 91–105. https://doi.org/10.1207/S15326985EP3702_4
- Qutoshi, S. B. (2018). Phenomenology: A philosophy and method of inquiry. Journal of Education and Educational Development. 5(1), 215-222
- Sahito, Z. & Vaisanen, P. (2017). Factors affecting job satisfaction of teacher educators: Empirical evidence from the universities of Sindh Province of Pakistan. Journal of Teacher Education and Educators, 6(1), 5-30.
- Shikalepo, E. E. (2020). The role of motivational theories in shaping teacher motivation and performance: A review of related literature. International Journal of Research and Innovation in Social Science (IJRISS), IV(IV), 64-76.
Siddiqui, S. & Ahamed, M. (2020). Teachers' roles beyond and within the context: An ever-changing
concept. Arab World English Journal (AWEJ), 11(1). 282-296.
- Smith, M. S. (2023). The process of sexual misconduct by male teachers and staff in K-12 institutions K-12 institutions. Dignity: A Journal of Analysis of Exploitation and Violence, 8(1), Article 2. https://doi.org/10.23860/dignity.2023.08.01.02
- Stahl, N. A. & King, J. R. (2020). Expanding approaches for research: Understanding and using
trustworthiness in qualitative research. Journal of Developmental Education, 44(1), 26-28.
- Stromquist, N. P. (2018). The global status of teachers and the teaching profession. Education International.
- Swati, M. (2012). Children spend more hours in school than adults do in office: Assocham. The Times of India. https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/lucknow/children-spend-more-hours-in-school-than-adults-do-in-office-assocham/articleshow/15271798.cms
- Symeonidis, V. (2015). The Status of Teachers and the Teaching Profession: A study of education unions' perspectives. Education International
- URT (2002). The Public Service Act, No. 8, 2002.
- URT (2018). The Tanzania Teachers' Professional Board Act, No 3, 2018.
- van Ommering, E. (2017). Teaching on the frontline: The confines of teachers' contributions to conflict transformation in Lebanon. Teaching and Teacher Education, 67(2017), 104-113. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tate.2017.06.002
- Wettstein, A., Schneider, S., Holtforth, M. & La Marca, R. (2021). Teacher stress: A psychobiological approach to stressful interactions in the classroom. Frontiers of Education, 6(681258), 1-6. https://doi.org/10.3389/feduc.2021.681258
- Wronowski, M. & Urick, A. (2019). Teacher and school predictors of teacher de-professionalisation and demoralisation in the United States. Educational Policy, 35(5), 679-720. https://doi.org/10.1177/0895904819843598
Year 2023,
Volume: 12 Issue: 2, 171 - 192, 31.08.2023
Rhoda Kihwele
Jimmy Kıhwele
References
- Ajayi, K. (2007). Emergent issue in teacher education and professionalization of teaching in Nigeria. African journal of historical sciences in education, 3 (1); 5 -25.
- Anangisye, W. A. L. (2009). The current status of teachers and the teaching profession in Tanzania. Lwati: A Journal of Contemporary Research 6(1), 26-38. https://doi.org/10.4314/lwati.v6i1.46497
- Anold, E. & Mwila, P. M. (2022). Teacher professional code of conduct: Its effect on teaching and learning process in public secondary schools in Busega District, Simiyu, Tanzania. International Journal of Research and Innovation in Social Science (IJRISS), VI (IX), 607-612.
- Balyer, A. & Özcan, K. (2020). Teachers' perceptions on their awareness of social roles and efforts to perform these roles. South African Journal of Education, 40(2). 1-9 https://doi.org/10.15700/saje.v40n2a1723
- Bengtsson, M. (2016). How to plan and perform a qualitative study using content analysis. NursingPlus Open, 2(2016), 8-14. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.npls.2016.01.001
- Braun, K. L. V., & Clarke, V. (2019). Being both narrative practitioner and academic researcher: A reflection on what thematic analysis has to offer narratively informed research. International Journal of Narrative Therapy & Community Work, 4, 86–98.
- Christensen, L. S. & Darling, A. J. (2020). Sexual abuse by educators: A comparison between male and female teachers who sexually abuse students. Journal of Sexual Aggression, 26(1). 25-35. https://doi.org/10.1080/13552600.2019.1616119
- Cleland. A. J. (2017). The qualitative orientation in medical education research. Korean Journal of Medical Education, 29(2), 61-71. https://doi.org/10.3946/kjme.2017.53
- Creswell, J. W. (2014). Research design: Qualitative, quantitative and mixed methods approaches (4th Ed.). SAGE publications, Inc.
- Dada, S. & Fadokun, J. B. (2010). Professional ethics in teaching: The training and development challenge. The Distance Education and Teacher's Training in Africa (DETA) 2009 Conference, August 2009, Ghana. Africa Council of Distance Education. Retrieved on 23/01/2018 from http://www.data.up.ac.za/presentations/word/dat
- Emeh, J. U. & Ogaboh, A. (2010). Professionalising teaching in Nigeria for effective service delivery and national development. European Journal of Social Sciences. 17(3), 352-359.
- Fauziah, A. Kim, M. Aye, M. Hakizimana, & V. Hur, J. (2021). Impact of the society's perception on teachers' professionalism. Journal of Education and Learning, 15(4). 545-551. https://doi.org/10.11591/edulearn.v15i4.20292
- Fry, L. (2002). What makes teachers tick? A policy research report on teachers' motivation in developing countries. Voluntary Service Overseas (VSO). https://bibalex.org/baifa/en/resources/document/288470
- Griffin, E. M. (2011). A first look at communication theory. McGraw-Hill College.
- Gundumogula, M. (2020) Importance of focus groups in qualitative research. The International Journal of Humanities & Social Studies 8(11), 29 - 302. http://dx.doi.org/10.24940/theijhss%2F2020%2Fv8%2Fi11%2FHS2011-082
- Hargreaves, A. & Tucker, E. (1991). Teaching and guilt: Exploring the feelings of teaching. Teaching and Teacher Education, 7(5-6), 491-505. https://doi.org/10.1016/0742-051X(91)90044-P
- Hargreaves, L., Cunningham, M., Hansen, A., McLintyre, D., & Oliver, C. (2007). The status of the teachers and teaching profession in England: Views from inside and outside the profession. University of Cambridge Faculty of Education and Department of Media and Communication, University of Leicester. https://www.educ.cam.ac.uk/research/programmes/teacherstatus/Summaryreport_25Jan07_print_ready_version.pdf
- Ishumi, A. G. M. (2013). The teaching profession and teacher education: Trends and challenges in the twenty-first century. Africa Education Review, 10(1), 89-116. https://doi.org/10.1080/18146627.2013.855435
- Kasuga, W. (2019). Teaching profession in Tanzania: Unequal profession among the equal professions. International Journal of Recent Innovations in Academic Research, 3(4), 86-106. https://www.ijriar.com/index.php/ijriar/article/view/267
- Koda, G. (2014). Professional development for science and mathematics teachers in Tanzanian secondary schools. Papers in Education and Development, 32, 142-166. https://journals.udsm.ac.tz/index.php/ped/article/view/1470
- Komba, S. C. & Mwakabenga, R. J. (2019). Teacher professional development in Tanzania: Challenges and opportunity. In S. Hülya, (Ed.). Educational leadership (pp. 1-12). IntechOpen. https://doi.org/10.5772/intechopen.90564
- Komba, W. L. & Nkumbi, E. (2008). Teacher Professional Development in Tanzania: Perceptions and Practices. Journal of International Cooperation in Education, 11(3), 67–83. https://doi.org/10.15027/34311
- Lawrent, G. (2022). Teacher ethics in the Tanzanian context and their implications. Teaching and Teacher Education. 120(2022), 1-9. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tate.2022.103900.
- Liamputtong, P. (2019). Qualitative inquiry. In P. Liamputtong. (ed). Handbook of research methods in
health social science (pp. 2-25). Springer. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-10-5251-4_53
- Maslow, A. H. (1954). Motivation and personality (1st Ed.). Harper & Row Publishers.
- Madero, C. (2021). Because I am called: How a calling to teach emerges and develops in teachers working in catholic high schools. Teaching and Teacher Education, 101, 1-13.
- Matveev, V. (2021). Teachers job satisfaction and desire to leave the profession. European Publisher, Vol 114, (pp.1-778). https://doi.org/10.15405/epsbs.2021.07.02.75
- Merriam-Webster Dictionary, (2023). Dictionary of words for feelings, mood and emotions. Retrieved on 9th August, 2023 21:20 from https://www.google.com/search?q=what+is+feelings+merriam+webster.pdf&sxsrf=AB5stBgpAcuBxptdE
- Mgaiwa, S. J. (2018). Emerging fundamental issues of teacher education in Tanzania: A reflection of practices. Educational Process: International Journal, 7(4), 246-264.
- Milner, H. R. (2013). Policy Reforms and De-professionalization of Teaching. National Education Policy Center. 1-29. https://nepc.colorado.edu/publication/policy-reforms-deprofessionalization
- Mkumbo, K. A. K. (2017). Teachers' commitment to, and experiences of, the teaching profession in Tanzania: Findings of focus group research. International Education Studies, 5(3), 222-227. https://doi.org/10.5539/ies.v5n3p222
- Mugo, E. W & Hiyo, W. (2018). Factors contributing to labour turnover among public secondary school teachers in Kenya: a case of Embu County. International Journal of Economics, Commerce and Management, 6(2), 363-384.
- Mulligan, K., & Sherer, K. R. (2012). Toward a working definition of emotion. Emotion Review, 4(4), 345–357. https://doi.org/10.1177/1754073912445818
- Mutluer, Ö. & Yüksel, S. (2019). The social status of the teaching profession: A phenomenological study. Journal of Teacher Education and Educators, 8(2), 183-203. https://dergipark.org.tr/tr/download/article-file/797156
- Namamba, A., & Rao, C. (2017). Preparation and professional development of teachers' educators in Tanzania: Current practices and prospects. Journal of Education and Practice, 8, 136–145.
- Nayak, S. & Padhi, S. K. (2022). Teachers' autonomy in the teaching profession. International Journal of Creative Research Thoughts (IJCRT), 10(8). 805-813.
- Nyumba, T. O., Wilson, K., Derrick, C. J. & Mukherjee, N. (2017). The use of focus group discussion methodology: Insights from two decades of application in conservation. Methods in Ecology and Evolution, 9(1), 20-32 https://doi.org/10.1111/2041-210X.12860
- Okafor, A., & Abraham, N. M. (2021) Maslow's hierarchy of needs theory: Relationship between the higher needs and teachers' service delivery in public secondary schools in Rivers State, Nigeria. International Journal of Innovative Education Research 9(2), 172-179.
- Omari, I. M. (1995). Conceptualising quality in primary education. Papers in Education and Development, 16, 25-48.
- Patton, M. Q. (2015). Qualitative research and evaluation methods: Integrating theory and practice (4th Ed.). SAGE Publications.
- Pekrun, R., Goetz, T., Titz, W., & Perry, R. P. (2002). Academic emotions in students' self-regulated learning and achievement: A program of qualitative and quantitative research. Educational Psychologist, 37(2), 91–105. https://doi.org/10.1207/S15326985EP3702_4
- Qutoshi, S. B. (2018). Phenomenology: A philosophy and method of inquiry. Journal of Education and Educational Development. 5(1), 215-222
- Sahito, Z. & Vaisanen, P. (2017). Factors affecting job satisfaction of teacher educators: Empirical evidence from the universities of Sindh Province of Pakistan. Journal of Teacher Education and Educators, 6(1), 5-30.
- Shikalepo, E. E. (2020). The role of motivational theories in shaping teacher motivation and performance: A review of related literature. International Journal of Research and Innovation in Social Science (IJRISS), IV(IV), 64-76.
Siddiqui, S. & Ahamed, M. (2020). Teachers' roles beyond and within the context: An ever-changing
concept. Arab World English Journal (AWEJ), 11(1). 282-296.
- Smith, M. S. (2023). The process of sexual misconduct by male teachers and staff in K-12 institutions K-12 institutions. Dignity: A Journal of Analysis of Exploitation and Violence, 8(1), Article 2. https://doi.org/10.23860/dignity.2023.08.01.02
- Stahl, N. A. & King, J. R. (2020). Expanding approaches for research: Understanding and using
trustworthiness in qualitative research. Journal of Developmental Education, 44(1), 26-28.
- Stromquist, N. P. (2018). The global status of teachers and the teaching profession. Education International.
- Swati, M. (2012). Children spend more hours in school than adults do in office: Assocham. The Times of India. https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/lucknow/children-spend-more-hours-in-school-than-adults-do-in-office-assocham/articleshow/15271798.cms
- Symeonidis, V. (2015). The Status of Teachers and the Teaching Profession: A study of education unions' perspectives. Education International
- URT (2002). The Public Service Act, No. 8, 2002.
- URT (2018). The Tanzania Teachers' Professional Board Act, No 3, 2018.
- van Ommering, E. (2017). Teaching on the frontline: The confines of teachers' contributions to conflict transformation in Lebanon. Teaching and Teacher Education, 67(2017), 104-113. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tate.2017.06.002
- Wettstein, A., Schneider, S., Holtforth, M. & La Marca, R. (2021). Teacher stress: A psychobiological approach to stressful interactions in the classroom. Frontiers of Education, 6(681258), 1-6. https://doi.org/10.3389/feduc.2021.681258
- Wronowski, M. & Urick, A. (2019). Teacher and school predictors of teacher de-professionalisation and demoralisation in the United States. Educational Policy, 35(5), 679-720. https://doi.org/10.1177/0895904819843598