Search Page

The consequences of teacher absenteeism are dramatic for the quality of teaching, and Uganda has taken drastic measures to combat the problem. The report brings together a researcher from UNESCO's Education for All Global Monitoring Report and a doctor in Sociology and Education Policy from the ENS in Abidjan.

The video reports that teachers had to play by new rules as the Education Service Commission, responsible for recruiting government teachers in Uganda, reviewed its rules and regulations after 20 years. While it addresses teacher promotion and the teacher-parent relationship, the main emphasis has been placed on teacher's behavior.

In a rural district of Uganda, almost half of all teachers were absent on a typical school day. The African Network for the Prevention and Protection against Child Abuse and Neglect (ANPPCAN) trained a few student leaders in each school to take attendance of everyone, including teachers. As a result, teacher absenteeism has dropped to ten percent in this district.