Teachers for all: what governments and donors should do

Crisis in the teaching profession threatens Education For All

By: Nock S
Published by: Global Campaign for Education (GCE) , 2006
Via: Eldis

This paper focuses on the situation of teachers, the problems they face and the detrimental effect these problems are having on children’s ability to complete a good quality education. As well as setting out the problems faced by teachers, education managers and governments in poor countries, the paper also collects together a range of solutions to the problems highlighted.

The paper argues that the crisis in the teaching profession is threatening the ability of poor countries to reach internationally agreed targets to expand and improve education. It highlights that in many countries, the teaching force is demoralised and divided. Teachers previously benefiting from considerable public respect and reasonable financial reward, feel that their status is in decline. Trained and motivated teachers are the most crucial ingredient in the provision of quality education for all. Other inputs, such as investments in school buildings, school feeding programmes or ICT, are doomed to fail if there are not enough teachers in a school for them to be able to teach effectively, or if teachers have received little or no training. The report calls for a major push on all fronts to secure a professionally trained, well-supported and highly motivated teacher workforce.