Are part-time teachers a necessary evil?

It is examination time again. It is time for students, especially those in candidate classes to be assessed on their academic knowledge. When results are released, accusations and counter accusations will be made regarding reasons for poor performance in some schools. In the past, administrators, parents and other stakeholders have cited lack of commitment among teachers as one of the major reasons for poor academic performance. One administrator points out part-timing in schools, saying that some teachers treat education as a business where they want to make as much money as possible and as result they fail to commit their time to one school. The notion that part-timing is detrimental to academic performance is not far-fetched and what’s more is that it has negative effects on the part-timers themselves. Part-timing is counterproductive To begin with, points out Boniface Onyango, the Principal of Riviera High School, the part-timers are never settled and that as a result, it is difficult to nurture their career. Joy Kamanzi, a part-time teacher at Riviera High School, holds the same view as Onyango asserting, “When you’re part-timing, you are not part and parcel of the system and thus, you miss out on the benefits of being in one place and giving your all.” Clarisse Umwari, a parent, says that she is not comfortable with her child being taught by someone with whom she cannot interact. “Our children spend a lot of time with teachers,” she says. “A part time teacher may not take the time to instil the right values in a student. Moreover, if I want to discuss my child’s academic performance, the teacher won’t be available,” she adds. Additionally, because of the mobility that comes with being a part-time teacher, it is tiring for them. Mobility also means that part-time teachers are hardly available for consultation with students. According to Patrice Dorrall, the Head of School, White Dove Girls’ School, mobility also breeds unpredictability. She gives an example of a teacher who has to attend an abrupt staff meeting at his main workplace. This means that he has to cancel the lesson he is supposed to conduct in the school where he part-times. In the end, students lose out. A pupil answers questions on the blackboard as his teacher keeps a close eye on him hence improving his chances of understanding what he is taught. Such a bond may not be possible in a part-time arrangement. (Dennis Agaba) At the same time, Charles Sinamenye, the Headmaster of Umucyomwiza School, believes part-timing doesn’t leave enough time for students to get well acquainted with their teachers. “Students need to get to know you because it makes it easy for them to approach you with questions,” he says. Sinamenye also says that students lose out on good teachers since part-timing is always short-lived. Its negative consequences notwithstanding, part-timing is something that seems inevitable in a country like Rwanda. Why part-timing is innevitable “Employment is always need-based,” says Onyango. Need usually arises when there is expansion, when a teacher suddenly leaves and in the recent past, the influx of Burundian students in Rwanda caused a need for part-time teachers. “Unpredictable situations always occur and yet studies must go on. Because of that, we have to hire a part-time teacher,” he explains. According to Peter Nkurunziza, an educationist, there are some skilled teachers whose formal employment is not in the education sector. As such, they put their skills to use as part time teachers. Nkurunziza further believes that part-time teachers are likely to do an excellent job since their performance determines whether or not they get another contract. For instance, Rahab Sengiyumva, an S6 student at White Dove Girls School, says that the part-time teachers at her school are good at their job. “They make sure that we cover all the topics,” she says. Dorrall cites the need for teachers with particular strengths, adding that hiring part-time teachers is also budget-friendly since they only come in for a particular amount of time. Sinamenye says that another reason for hiring part-time teachers is because “we don’t want to limit ourselves to the curriculum. We have to tap into individual talents of the students. Therefore, for subjects such as Art, Sports, Culture etc, we have to hire a part-time teacher.” The fact that part-time teachers play complementary roles explains why there is no government provision for their work. Ismael Janvier Gasana, the Director General of Rwanda Education Board, says: “The government budget does not provide for part-time teachers. Public schools can make their own arrangements to hire part-time teachers but they are not catered for by the government. If the need for recruitment of teachers arises, we provide for full time teachers who will be remunerated on a monthly basis,” he says. At the end of the day, most administrators cite the need to hire part-time teachers who play complimentary roles needed for students to receive holistic education. On their part, part-time teachers such as Kamanzi say that they get more money than they would have earned as full time teachers. They attribute this to the fact that they are able to negotiate for better payment, which wouldn’t be the case if they had a fixed monthly salary. Additionally, part-timing helps teachers gain exposure since “you get to socialise with other people and communities unlike when you’re confined to one school,” Kamanzi observes. If a teacher is always available at school, learners are able to utilise them fully and enter the examination room with confidence. (Dennis Agaba) How to make part-timing work “Part-timing is something that cannot be completely erased. We just have to make it work,” says Onyango. He suggests making a flexible timetable that caters for the other programmes part-timers have to attend. Kamanzi suggests that part-time teachers should plan for extra hours in order to have enough time with the students. Dorall says part-timing can work out if there is more understanding between the administrators and the teachers. Sinamenye, on the other hand, advocates for training of more teachers to cater for the increasing number of students. He says he recognises that it’s expensive but the reality remains that we need more full-time teachers. Nkurunziza is of the view that efforts should be made to attract more skilled people to the teaching field and to go to extra lengths to retain them. Your views Julius Kamasa Diana Nawatti Julius Kamasa, parent in Kicukiro Because of their mobility, teachers who work in different sectors don’t get familiarized with the challenges and experiences that make you good in a particular area. This will interfere with their performance and career growth. Diana Nawatti, Head teacher at Mother Mary complex Most teachers who do part timing are looking for extra money to supplement their incomes, but it affects their quality of work. However, besides academic knowledge, some teachers equip learners with extracurricular skills. Diofene Abarihamwe Said Ntakirutimana Diofene Abarihamwe, chief accountant at National Public Persecution Authorities Part time teaching is good because it helps one gain experience in different work environments. If they stay committed to a schedule, they can even perform better than full time teachers. It all goes down to one’s passion about teaching. Said Ntakirutimana, owns a printer at UTC Kigali Part-timing is a good idea for teachers who are interested in making more money since their incomes are not sufficient to sustain them. It only becomes problematic when it affects their productivity in class, which in turn, affects the performance of students. Annet Uwera Phillip Nsanganira Annet Uwera, student at Saint Patrick School I think teachers should concentrate on only teaching in one school. This is good because there will be no time wasting, and students can benefit highly, since they will have all the time they need with their teachers. Phillip Nsanganira, student at ESS Nyamirambo Part time teachers appear for a short time and then go away. It makes it hard for such teachers to build a strong bond with their students. This affects the academic performance of students.