Causes of Shortage of Male Teacher in Nigeria's Primary Schools
What are the Causes of the Male Teacher Shortage in Nigerian Primary Schools? They are mentioned in this article. Continue reading. Read also: Challenges in Private Schools - 5 Biggest Issues.
Primary school teaching has recently been one of the most sought-after professions in Nigeria. However, the number of trained men applying to teach pupils in Nigeria's public primary schools has declined dramatically in comparison to the number of females currently teaching.
This issue is not restricted to Nigerian states; it is widespread across Africa; but, for the sake of this essay, we shall concentrate on the reasons behind the fall of male teachers in Nigeria's elementary schools. This trend of fewer young males interested in teaching children began in the 1990s and has persisted without any meaningful government effort to reverse it.
In this essay, we will look at the reasons for the decline in the number of male instructors in Nigerian elementary schools. We will also discuss measures to ensure equal gender representation in the teaching profession. Causes of Shortage of Male Teacher in Nigeria's Primary Schools.
Reasons for the Shortage of male elementary school teachers in Nigeria
On this section, we will look at the causes for the nationwide trend of a drop in male teachers in primary schools. Causes of Shortage of Male Teacher in Nigeria's Primary Schools. Read also: Causes of the decline of male teachers in primary schools
1. Inadequate Job Security
Because of a lack of job stability, male teachers in Nigeria risk employment insecurity. A large number of guys under the age of 25 are unemployed. Around 10% of them are employed by the government, leaving approximately 90% to compete in the private sector job market. This suggests that the majority of men in the country are unemployed.
I've known this male primary school teacher for a long time. He transfers from one institution to another every academic year. I had to question him at one point why the teaching profession was treating him so poorly. He then revealed to me that, since he began teaching, he has never seen a sector as difficult as the private sector. He went on to say that employers no longer value their efforts. You are appointed to teach right now and then fired the following minute.
This is what male primary school instructors face because the bulk of them work in the private sector.
2. Low Wage
Despite the fact that public sector employees have a higher wage structure than private sector employees, salaries remain low. A teacher's monthly wage in the public sector is between N50,000 and N70,000. As an example, the average monthly pay of a During the same time period, the average civil servant's salary was N120, 000.
This low remuneration fosters a negative attitude and a sense of demotivation among male teachers. Some of them are getting married and starting families. With the tiny pennies they are paid, how can you expect them to manage their family and personal affairs?
3. Discrimination based on gender
Gender inequality is a major issue in Nigeria today. Many industries are feeling the effects of it. The teaching profession is a prime example. Many people believe that because women make better teachers, they should dominate elementary school teaching positions. That's not how it's intended to work. Everyone should have the opportunity to realize their full potential. Causes of Shortage of Male Teacher in Nigeria's Primary Schools.
Many male teachers in Nigeria feel discouraged about teaching. Their attitude stems from previous instances in which they were discriminated against when looking for a teaching position. Some male teachers are secretive about their desire to teach because they are afraid of being rejected by their parents and communities. Some male teachers also consider that teaching is excessively feminine and thus unsuited for guys. These are issues that should be investigated.
However, if this gender discrimination persists, it will continue to impede the performance of the country's male instructors. Gender discrimination appears in a variety of forms. Male teachers continue to experience working obstacles, ranging from low pay to limited promotion prospects. This contributes significantly to the problem of why male professors blatantly abandon the teaching profession in favor of more lucrative ones.
Causes of Shortage of Male Teacher in Nigeria's Primary Schools
4. Unfavorable Working Conditions
In Nigeria, there are no established working conditions for male instructors. Most male instructors work on a contract basis with no benefits such as medical insurance, a pension plan, sick leave, holiday pay, or paid maternity leave. This is a significant problem.
I know some elementary school teachers who are eligible for retirement but refuse to take it. This is due to the fact that once individuals decide to retire, they are no longer eligible for pensions. There were no pensions, no insurance, and nothing to motivate them when they completed their active service.
5. Career Options
Male instructors are more likely than female teachers to pursue non-teaching jobs such as banking, business, and self-employment. The rising cost of living has played a significant role in this tendency. Some are even teaching courses in which they have little or no knowledge. Causes of Shortage of Male Teacher in Nigeria's Primary Schools.
Nowadays, everyone aspires to be a doctor, nurse, lawyer, or banker. No one wants to return to the classroom to educate the next generation. They do this because the profession is seen negatively. Teachers are supposed to be paid the highest, yet this is not the case.
What are will be the Solutions to the Causes of the Shortage of Male Teacher in Nigeria's Primary Schools?
There are four ways Nigeria might be saved from the drop in primary school male teachers. To improve the retention rate of male primary school teachers in Nigeria, the following recommendations should be implemented. Among these suggestions are:
1. Creating a well-funded retirement plan for male instructors.
Yes, knowing that at the end of their career, they would have something to be valued for will go a long way toward persuading males to enter the teaching profession.
Tell me why guys would not contemplate teaching in primary schools after the government takes responsibility for providing retired primary school teachers' pensions up to the amount higher-paid lecturers are paid. Because primary schools have less work than universities, it would thrive even more than normal lecturing employment in universities.
2. Developing appealing programs to attract male teachers
Nigeria currently has a shortage of trained men to teach elementary school pupils. This issue is especially apparent in rural places, where there aren't enough young males aspiring to be teachers. What may the solution be? It would be a program to encourage secondary school students to become teachers. Because most Nigerian girls are already educated to be teaching assistants, the program should focus on boys.
To recruit young male teachers, the program should provide scholarships to trainees who demonstrate leadership abilities and promise. Classroom education, internships, field visits, and mentoring should all be part of the training process.
The purpose is to develop a pipeline of future teachers to eventually replace those who have retired, left the profession, or died.
Causes of Shortage of Male Teacher in Nigeria's Primary Schools - Solutions
3. The Nigerian education system need overhaul.
Without a doubt, the Nigerian government must restructure its educational system. There is little doubt that our current education system has numerous flaws, notably a lack of desire among teachers (which is a topic in itself). But that doesn't imply we should be negative about Nigerian education's future.
4. Salary and incentive increases
To encourage more teachers to stay in the classroom, the government should enhance primary school teacher compensation. This would assist to retain qualified teachers who are willing to work hard in primary schools to educate our children. Conclusion
Despite these efforts, however, the number of male teachers continues to fall. Although it is too early to say whether the Federal Government of Nigeria's proposal to raise primary school teachers' pay would reverse this trend, it is vital to remember that attracting and maintaining male teachers necessitates addressing concerns other than compensation increases.
Shortage of Male Teacher in Nigeria's Primary Schools
Conclusion
In a sum, men are ashamed o be identified as primary school teachers. It is in the hand of the government to allow this trend to continue or put a stop to it. Men will flock back to the Primary Institution if the government increases the teachers wages. Primary school teachers are being looked down on, they play second fiddles where their Secondary and the University counter parts are.
Government should take appropriate action by developing policies and better strategies for gender equality in order to address the issue of declining male teachers in elementary schools across the country.
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