Factors Affecting Teaching Profession in Tanzania
ABSTRACT
Currently, issues related to teaching profession have become a topic of debate. This paper describes teaching as a profession, rationale for teaching and factors affecting teaching profession in Tanzania. This paper goes further to deliberate on how teaching may be transformed into a strong and powerful profession in Tanzania.
1.0 INTRODUCTION
Background to the Study
Occupational status depends on the public valuing of the competence, role and overall contribution of a particular occupation to individual and societal welfare. Regardless of development status, the teaching force in most countries has never enjoyed full professional status. However, the status of teachers as a developing-profession is more evident in developing countries like Tanzania.
If it has to be traced back during colonial era and early years of independence the status of teaching professions was highly respected and valued, as during those times teachers were given fully respect and they were recognized by the societies, never the less, the introduction of Musoma resolution in 1974 and Arusha declaration in 1967 strengthened the status of teaching profession. But soon after the introduction of universal primary education (UPE) in 1977 the status of teaching profession started to decline and seems to be of very low status as most people think of it as the work of those who failed or they have no alternative of life but to be rescued by the teaching profession.
DEFINITIONS OF TERMS
Teaching has been defined by Wells, G. (1982) as cluster of activities that are noted about teachers such as explaining, deducing, questioning, motivating, taking attendance, keeping record of works, students’ progress and students’ background information.
Profession refers to enterprises or endeavor founded up on specialized educational training, the purpose of which is to supply services to others or it is an occupation that requires extensive education or training (Babyegeya and Mushi, 2009) in (Ndibalema,
Currently, issues related to teaching profession have become a topic of debate. This paper describes teaching as a profession, rationale for teaching and factors affecting teaching profession in Tanzania. This paper goes further to deliberate on how teaching may be transformed into a strong and powerful profession in Tanzania.
1.0 INTRODUCTION
Background to the Study
Occupational status depends on the public valuing of the competence, role and overall contribution of a particular occupation to individual and societal welfare. Regardless of development status, the teaching force in most countries has never enjoyed full professional status. However, the status of teachers as a developing-profession is more evident in developing countries like Tanzania.
If it has to be traced back during colonial era and early years of independence the status of teaching professions was highly respected and valued, as during those times teachers were given fully respect and they were recognized by the societies, never the less, the introduction of Musoma resolution in 1974 and Arusha declaration in 1967 strengthened the status of teaching profession. But soon after the introduction of universal primary education (UPE) in 1977 the status of teaching profession started to decline and seems to be of very low status as most people think of it as the work of those who failed or they have no alternative of life but to be rescued by the teaching profession.
DEFINITIONS OF TERMS
Teaching has been defined by Wells, G. (1982) as cluster of activities that are noted about teachers such as explaining, deducing, questioning, motivating, taking attendance, keeping record of works, students’ progress and students’ background information.
Profession refers to enterprises or endeavor founded up on specialized educational training, the purpose of which is to supply services to others or it is an occupation that requires extensive education or training (Babyegeya and Mushi, 2009) in (Ndibalema,
References: Ankomah, Y. A. (2005 November). Priorities in Relation to Leadership and Management for Change. A Paper Presented at National Consultative Workshop on Educational Quality Implementation at Accra Ghana. Goodson, I. (2003). Professional knowledge, professional lives: Studies in education. Maidenhead, Open University Press. Hargreaves, A., Earl, L., Moore, S., and Manning, S. (2001). Learning to change: Teaching beyond subjects and standards. San Francisco, Jossey-Bass. Ingvarson, L. (1998). A professional development system fit for a profession. London: Bell Inc. Ndibalema, P (2012). Professionalism and ethics in education. Students’ compendium. University of Dodoma, Creative Prints Ltd. Wells, G. (1982). Teacher research and educational change. Toronto, OISE Press, pp. 1-35.