BULLYING THE TEACHING PROFESSION AND EDUCATION DECLINE: WHO CARES?
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.61538/jipe.v8i2.293Abstract
This article explores the ongoing diverse changes on the psycho-social status of the teaching profession and its effect on education decline in Tanzania. Building upon review of prior (i.e., 1960s) and current status (i.e., 2000s) of the teaching profession, we propose the value– decline of the teaching profession. The study employed descriptive design and qualitative approach in data collection and analyses. In this individual study, we purposively invited and interviewed retired teachers (60 years and above) (N= 6). on-the job teachers in public primary schools (N= 9) and those in public secondary schools (N= 7) and parents who have children in public primary and secondary schools (N= 19). Our findings reveal that the existing public unromantic languages and undesirable administrative practices [e.g., force, delays in fulfilling teachers’ rights and needs, job pressures, and coercion] bully the teaching profession. In many cases, the Tanzanian society communicates negative perception towards the teaching profession. Besides, bad working environment, undesired administrative processes and low wages seem to escalate stress on teachers. The findings suggest that teachers hold negative perceptions and inferiority towards their profession and job endeavours negate effectiveness in their teaching which prompts poor education. The findings have implications for educational practitioners, policy makers and stakeholders to design a model that would redress the psycho-social status of the teaching profession. ÂReferences
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