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Impassioned plea made for improving teachers` lot
2007-04-22 10:38:13
By Correspondent Nasser Kigwangallah
Participants in the second National Quality Education Conference held in Bagamoyo recently, took stock of the status of Tanzanian teachers, whose lot they urged the government to improve.
The Conference was organised jointly by Tanzania Education Network (TEN/MET) and Oxfam GB.
In the light of these participants` commitments, we recommend to the Ministry of Education and Vocational
Training (MoEVT) and the Prime Minister`s Office,
Regional Administration and Local Government to take the actions to articulate the philosophy and vision of education to guide education policy and practice and accordingly review the ETP 1995 with the participation of all stakeholders in a broad based consultative process,`` reads part of the recommendations package.
It was signed by Joseph Kisanji, the TenMet Education Coordinator and made available to the Sunday Observer yesterday./pParticipants also recommended that the government revisits the entry qualifications for training institutions.
They proposed a minimum of five Form Four credits to qualify for pre and primary school teacher training and two Form VI principal passes to qualify for secondary school teacher training.
The government has also been asked to provide a total package for pre-service training of one year for pre primary teachers and two years each for primary and secondary teachers and a comprehensive, well planned and coordinated in service training programme be developed and implemented.
Another recommendation is that a plan should be developed to ensure that those trained through the fast track, in the bid to address teacher shortage, receive a two-year training package within three years.
However, in the short term (next three years), one year pre-service training in colleges should be complemented by one year school based training with an effective well co-ordinated system of supervision, mentoring and face-to-face support.
Participants also requested the government to establishTeacher Resource Centres (TRCs) in all districts and provide human, financial, physical and material resources for regular professional development and support of teachers and establish and implement an effective mentoring system for teachers.
``Restoration of the dignity and respect of the teaching profession by improving the knowledge and skill base of the teacher relative to the communities surrounding the school; improving teachers` privacy in social life; developing and implementing a performance appraisal system appropriate for the teaching profession; improving the participation of teachers in recreational and leisure time activities which promote their physical, mental social and spiritual well-being; and developing and implementing social service schemes to improve the economic well-being of the teacher should be encouraged,`` another part of the recommendations` package reads.
As teachers form the largest workforce and this implies more funds to improve their working and living conditions and raising their status, government should increase the budget on education to improve teacher quality and welfare; introduce a grant for teachers (starting from $10); and increase allocation of resources for education in deprived areas as a necessity.
Participants also recommended that mainstream cross-cutting issues such as gender, HIV/AIDS and ICT in all education programmes, and provision of care and support to teachers, children and other staff members infected and affected by HIV and AIDS in all schools and other workplaces should be made compulsory.
In their conclusion the conference recommended that these recommendations and those contained in the Kunduchi declaration of last year need to be considered together as they take forward the quality education agenda.
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