TEACHER STATUS in Ghana ranks 32ndout of 35 countries polled in the Global Teacher Status Index (GTSI) 2018, the fourth lowest of any country surveyed after Brazil, Israel and Italy.
By contrast, China was the highest ranked country.
These findings are among those published today by global education charity the Varkey Foundation. They are based on in-depth opinion polling and analysis by Professor Peter Dolton and the National Institute of Economic and Social Research of over 35,000 adults aged 16-64 and over 5,500 additional serving teachers across 35 countries.
The GTSI 2018 is the most comprehensive study ever of teacher respect around the world. It follows on from and expands upon the first GTSI which surveyed 21 countries in 2013 and inspired the Global Teacher Prize.
Ghanaians have the least respect for teachers of any country surveyed.
When asked to rank 14 professions in order of respect (including head teachers, primary and secondary teachers, doctors, nurses, social workers, and librarians), Ghana ranked primary school teachers lower than any other country polled, head teachers the third lowest after Brazil and Hungary and secondary teachers the third lowest after Brazil and Israel.
Despite Ghanaian teachers having among the lowest status of all the countries surveyed, half (50%) of those surveyed would definitely or probably encourage their children to become teachers – the third highest of all the countries surveyed after China (50%) and India (54%).
And despite Ghana’s low position in the GTSI, Ghanaians rate their education system very highly – at 7.03 out of 10, the fifth highest of all countries surveyed after Finland (8), Switzerland (7.2), Singapore (7.1) and India (7.1).
The survey also found that almost three-quarters (70%) of Ghanaians believe pupils respect their teachers, the fourth highest of all countries surveyed, with only India (77%), Uganda (79%) and China (81%) higher.
Meanwhile, respondents in Ghana thought that nursing was the occupation most similar to teaching (13% chose this option), while Librarian was the second most popular choice, just behind on 12%. This makes Ghana one of only four countries, alongside Japan, Portugal and New Zealand where the highest proportion of respondents chose nursing as the most similar profession to teachers. By comparison 10 countries chose Librarian, 18 chose social worker and three chose doctors – China, Russia and Malaysia.
Sunny Varkey, Founder of the Varkey Foundation, said:
“This index finally gives academic proof to something that we’ve always instinctively known: the link between the status of teachers in society and the performance of children in school. Now we can say beyond doubt that respecting teachers isn’t only an important moral duty – it’s essential for a country’s educational outcomes.
By Samuel Boadi