Over 70pc teachers believe corporal punishment is useful
The vast majority of government school teachers acknowledge that absenteeism and ‘ghost teachers’ are a serious problem, saying such practices give honest teachers a bad reputation and make their work more difficult. Similarly, most teachers state that it is not their salary or benefits that motivate them but rather the status of teachers in society and a desire to work with children. Teacher absenteeism is viewed as a problem by the vast majority of teachers in every province, except Punjab. Those reporting to duty say they suffer the most from teacher absenteeism.
The widespread use of corporal punishment, for example, affects a child’s willingness to go to school and their behaviour in the classroom. Worryingly, teachers across the board seem to view corporal punishment as useful. `` An overwhelming majority of teachers (73%) either agree or strongly agree with the statement that corporal punishment is useful. Overall, the proportion of private school teachers (78%) who strongly agree exceeds that of government teachers (73%).
``
Government teachers are frequently assigned tasks that keep them preoccupied and away from the classroom. The time they would otherwise use to plan lessons or mark papers is spent in activities such as invigilation. Government teachers in the survey report say that they are required to spend around 50 days a year, on an average, performing tasks that have nothing to do with teaching. Overall, teachers in Punjab and Sindh are required to spend more days on non-teaching activities compared to their counterparts in Balochistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
Teachers request transfers/postings due to logistical difficulties
Poor residential facilities, the cost of travel, the absence of safe and reliable public transport, security issues, and cultural barriers to working far from home are all factors that lead teachers to pursue ‘favourable’ postings. In the qualitative interviews, many government teachers point out that logistical difficulties contribute to absenteeism. The majority of teachers in our survey report that they want to work in their home towns (27%) or that they experience mobility issues (20%). Next in importance are the schooling of their children (16%) and the availability of health care facilities (13%). When asked about their satisfaction with their current posting, however, an overwhelming majority of teachers in all provinces report that they are satisfied.54% of government teachers say that salary is an important or very important motivating factor, as opposed to 38% of private school teachers. For both government and private school teachers, the status of teachers and the desire to work with students are far more important motivating factors. ``