Teachers’ Commitment to, and Experiences of, the Teaching Profession in Tanzania: Findings of Focus Group Research

Abstract

This qualitative study examined teachers’ commitment to, and experiences of, the teaching profession in six regions of Tanzania. The study used focus group discussions as research method and data collection tool. Twenty four groups were conducted, with group membership ranging from five to nine participants. The results show that the teachers’ commitment to the teaching profession is devastatingly low, with the majority of teachers expressing that they did not choose the teaching profession as their choice, but were compelled by the easiness to get the job and lack of qualifications to join other professions of their liking and choice. Teachers highlighted poor working environment and poor government and community attitudes towards the teaching profession as the main de-motivating factors for the teaching profession. In order to raise teachers’ commitment to the teaching profession, which is an important contributor to the students’ academic achievement, it is recommended that the Government of Tanzania and other stakeholders should improve the teachers working conditions, including provision of housing facilities and social welfare services.

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