The impact of teacher absenteeism on learners' academic performance and school discipline

Abstract

A questionnaire consisting of open ended and Yes/No/True/False questions was distributed to 4 of the school management members, 34 teachers, 151 Grade 12 learners, 83 Grade 10 learners and 8 members of learners' representative council. One director and 4 school inspectors from the Ministry of Basic Education, Sport and Culture were also interviewed through questionnaires

The research findings indicated that there was a high rate of teacher absenteeism and that there was a link between teacher absenteeism and learners' discipline and academic performance

The school management members, teachers and learners unanimously confirmed that teacher absenteeism was one of the major problems at that school. They also indicated that indiscipline and high failure rate especially in external examinations in grades 10 and 12 were mainly the results of teacher absenteeism at that school

Apart from being absent from school on a particular day, learners identIfied some unusual absences whereby teachers were at school, but were not engaged in teaching at all

The major causes of teacher absenteeism were among others sickness, death, study, official duties and laziness

Although supervision time-table to cater for the classes whose teachers were absent was arranged, it did not help much due to the high number of absent teachers on a daily basis

The effects of teacher absenteeism and suggestions to minimize if not to solve that problem are presented with a discussion of practical implications