Educational Reconstruction Efforts and the Well-being of Teachers in Postwar Liberia: When is Now?

Educational Reconstruction Efforts and the Well-being of Teachers in Postwar Liberia: When is Now? Janet Shriberg Doctoral Candidate Teachers College, Columbia University Presentation for the annual conference in Liberian Studies Association, Bloomington, IN, 2007

Teachers as Frontline Caregivers • Impact cognitive growth, stimulation and knowledge-sharing • Promote well-being and psychosocial support in the classroom • Disseminate lifesaving messages • Serve as adult role models in crisis and longer-term development programs

Case Study of Teacher Well-being in Postwar Liberia Multi-sited 3 counties, Rural/Urban; 15 districts Diverse sample Female and male education staff working in Liberia (over 700 teachers, principals, MoE officers, National Association of Teachers in Liberia officers, faculty at UL and Teacher Training Institutes, INGO staff) Mixed methodology In-depth interviews; focus groups, semi-structured surveys, participant observation and document review

Postwar Liberia and Education • Education considered a priority • Unemployment rate estimated at 85% • Illiteracy rate estimated at 80% • Lack of government resources • Off-track to meet UPE • Gender Disparities • Changing student population

Teacher Shortage in Liberia • Majority of teachers were under-qualified (primary and secondary) • Brain drain of teachers, especially in Higher Education • Lack of female teachers

Processes and policies surrounding teacher salary “Why so hard to get paid?” • Salary not enough to survive • Obstacles to obtain salary: Distribution Mechanism • Inconsistent salary distribution • Corruption • Ghost Teachers • Salary not based on qualification • No regulated system of benefits

Consequences of Lack of Support to Teachers on Education Provision & Quality(Preliminary Results) • Pedagogy and Learning Content • Professional Misconduct • Future of teaching as a profession • Teachers’ own psychosocial well-being

Pedagogy and Learning Content“The salary I earn affect the way I teach in that the time I have to make a lesson plan, I have to take that time to do other works to earn money and take care of the family” • Multiple jobs leaves little time for lesson planning and preparation • Lack of lighting (no money for candles) limits ability to prepare at night and caused eye strain/weakness • Hunger and physical weakness leads to difficulty concentrating • Anxious and Distracted because cannot provide for family (food and school fees) • No opportunity to pursue further training makes it hard to keep up with subject content and forces reliance on “outdated” teaching methods

“Flexible fees” and Bribery Principals had difficulty enforcing teacher codes of conduct Professional Misconduct“I use make-up tests to make me money.”

Future of teaching as a profession“Our field is a dumping ground.” • Brain drain-Qualified teachers would rather seek a higher paying job • Future of teaching wavering: No incentive to become or stay in the teaching field • Lack of resources for teacher training

Teachers’ Own Psychosocial Well-Being“I work yes, but I feel badly” • Over half of the teachers interviewed stated that their inabilities to care for their own families impacted their well-being negatively • When asked to define trauma in their lives, at least one-quarter of teachers surveyed, said “low pay” • Anxiety and “feeling badly” over being unqualified, “how to teach without having been taught enough?” • Intrusive memories, stress, grief, trauma

Coping and Resiliency • Experienced teachers were lending professional assistance and mentorship to new teachers • Many teachers were coping with their own tragedies and family needs while at the same time trying to care for their students’ psychosocial needs • Despite difficult organizational obstacles, the majority of teachers interviewed were committed to teaching in order to “better the future for the next generation”

Overview of Preliminary Study Findings: Reciprocal Influences that Impact Teacher Well-being and Educational Quality

Recommendations: “Now is the time” • Attention to teacher salary and benefit package • Attention to teachers’ psychosocial well-being in teacher training programs • Increase recruitment and retention of female teachers • Increase teacher participation at every level of educational policy and especially in curriculum development • Further research on teacher identity, teacher well-being (comparative study of support vs non support within and between countries; in-depth look at teacher attrition) • Increase interdisciplinary research in comparative and international education to promote social organizational “wellness” in on-the ground education efforts

Acknowledgements • National Teachers Association of Liberia • Liberia Ministry of Education • IRC LiberiaandNY Offices • Inter-Agency Network for Education in Emergencies (INEE) • Faculty Advisors at Columbia University All teachers and other education staff who are working to promote peace and educational growth to improve the future of Liberia Special thanks to the Office of Diversity and Community, Teachers College, Columbia University and the NSEP Graduate Fellowship for their generous dissertation research funding

Educational Reconstruction Efforts and the Well-being of Teachers in Postwar Liberia: When is Now?