Alternative forms of teacher hiring in developing countries and its implications: A review of literature

• Published in: Teaching and teacher education Vol. 37; pp. 150 - 161
• Main Authors: Chudgar, Amita, Chandra, Madhur, Razzaque, Ayesha
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Elsevier Ltd 01.01.2014
• Subjects: Certification; Contract teachers; Developing countries; Literature reviews; Para teachers; Professional status; Shortages; Teacher hiring; Teacher salary; Teacher tenure; Teaching; Developing countries; Teacher tenure; Teacher salary; Para teachers; Contract teachers; Teacher hiring
• ISSN: 0742-051X; 1879-2480
• DOI: 10.1016/j.tate.2013.10.009

Faced with teacher shortage, and limited budgets several developing countries have accepted lower certification and education requirements, eliminated teacher tenure, and curtailed teacher salary to fill vacant teaching positions. Teachers hired in this manner are often known as ‘contract teachers’. A survey of the literature reveals that these practices have created a parallel cadre of undertrained, underpaid, often younger, inexperienced teachers hired locally on contract basis. These practices are viewed favorably from access, cost-savings and local-accountability perspectives. Yet scholars raise concerns that this form of teacher hiring may not be sustainable, may negatively impact educational equity from the perspective of teacher distribution, teacher morale and the professional status of teaching. •Teacher staffing policies in many developing countries are in a flux.•Alternative staffing policies hire undertrained underpaid teachers on contract.•This article presents a systematic review of the literature on this subject.•The evidence for and against this practice is mixed.