Teacher absenteeism in Teso stands at 50%

By Caroline Ariba

Ngora, in the eastern region, was among the worst-performing districts in last year’s primary leaving examinations with only 2.7% of the 2,809 candidates passing in Division One.

In western, Bulisa was no better, with just 3.1% of the 1178 candidates also passing in First Grade.

The above performance should not be strange because the two districts posted the highest number of teacher absenteeism in the country.

Although the Uganda National Bureau of Statistics 2009/10 report put the national annual teacher absenteeism rate 21%, a research by Build Africa, a non-governmental organsation, found the teacher absenteeism rate in some schools in the Teso and Bunyoro regions as high as 50%.

The non government organisation with a footing in education compiled their report following impromptu visits to the schools.

“Of the over 30 schools visited, more than 50% of the head-teachers were absent,” Henry Senkasi, the Build Africa deputy director said. “Worse even, these head-teachers had left no information of there where-about; left no one in particular in charge and the school was basically at large,” he added.

Reacting to this, the deputy chairman LCV Ngora district said a fish rots from the head. “How do these head-teachers expect to lead when they are scarcely seen by the people they supposedly are heading?” he wondered. Jokes have been made about how common teachers are in the bank than they are at school.

In the districts that the research was carried out, last year’s Primary Leaving Examination (PLE) results proved indeed that this habit was eating up the education system. Of the 2,471 pupils who sat for PLE in Masindi last year, 8.8% were in Division One and 20% were above Division Four. In Ngora, 2,809 sat PLE last year, only 2.7% were in Division One; 26% got Division Four and above.

In Bulisa, of the 1,178 candidates, 3.1% passed in first grade and 21% division four and above.

In Kiryandongo district, of the 3,537 pupils who sat, 16% got above division four compared to the 8.1% who got division one. In Kumi district, 4,023 pupils sat last year and 25% got division four and above; whilst in Bukedea, 2,599 pupils sat in 2012 but only 3.5% got a first grade and a massive 28% were in division four and above.

Why do teachers continue to absent themselves?

Florence Adungo, the head teacher of Puna Primary School in Ngora district, says the biggest problem is lack of teachers’ accommodation near the schools. She explains that it is hard to monitor a teacher who lives miles away from school. “They send a text messages that they are ill and cannot come to teach; what do you do?” she says.

Indeed, the report by Build Africa revealed that 34% of the teachers who were absent had sent messages that they were sick, while 19% gave the long distance from home to school as an excuse for their failure to report for work. About 23% of the teachers in the schools sampled reside not less 5km from the schools.

However, George Sempangi, the manager for Build Africa Teso region, argues that teacher absenteeism was even common in schools which Build Africa had provided staff houses. He agrees though that there is a demand-supply gap of more than 50% for teachers’ housing in most of the schools they have visited.

Sempagi points out that the other common reason the teachers give for absenteeism is attending funerals. And indeed, of all the schools visited, 16% of the teachers absent had gone to attend burial and would be away for a while.

The headteachers feared to speak to reprimand the teachers lest they are thought insensitive.

In Masindi, Buliisa and Kiryandongo districts, the report showed that the teachers would never take a week without at least missing school. In fact, in most schools teachers coming late was tolerable because it was considered better than not coming at all. And even when they came, there was a higher chance that they might not step in class and would leave early.

In some of the schools sampled, the researchers arrived to find the few teachers present casually charting in the staffroom while the pupils played in class, yet it was class time. The teachers spoken to argued that there was little or no pay and they were very demoralised.

Ngora district education officer, Perpetua Alungat, blamed teacher absenteeism on alcoholism. “You find a teacher coiled in a corner during school hours drinking while his children jump around in class,” she says.

She adds that the community was to blame for encouraging these teachers to drink. In fact, she said, whenever her inspectors came to such areas, it was the parents who shielded the teachers. The report states that 5% of the teachers absent were said to be drinking in local bars.

Alungat thinks this is a very small percentage because she knows that more than 5% of the teachers are alcoholics who need serious help.

Way forward

Catherine Aboyo of Build Africa says teacher absenteeism of up to half a term has had greatly impacted pupils’ performance, especially the girl- child education.

On days when a girl abruptly starts her menstruation, she might need the senior woman teacher to come to her help. Sadly, there is none, and for fear of being ridiculed by the male students, they do not return to school.

The teachers and officials present during the release of this report at the Vision Terudo offices in Ngora district agreed that teacher absenteeism was a problem. They suggested that every head teacher comes up with policy guidelines about absenteeism for teachers to follow.

The headteachers were also asked to follow up and ensure the guidelines were followed.