Teacher pay in Africa: Evidence from 15 countries

Area of Science:

• Economics
• Education Policy
• Labor Studies

Background:

• Teacher compensation in Sub-Saharan Africa is a contentious issue, with conflicting evidence from national income comparisons and worker protests.
• Previous analyses often overlook crucial factors like working hours and non-pecuniary benefits.

Purpose of the Study:

• To analyze teacher earnings across 15 African countries, comparing them to other formal sector workers with similar qualifications.
• To investigate the impact of working hours, non-pecuniary benefits, and contract types on overall teacher compensation.

Main Methods:

• Comparative analysis of monthly and hourly earnings data for teachers versus other formal sector workers.
• Inclusion of non-pecuniary benefits (pensions, insurance) and working hours in the compensation assessment.
• Examination of teacher labor force demographics and contract variations.

Main Results:

• While monthly teacher earnings are lower in seven countries, hourly earnings are only lower in one, due to significantly fewer working hours.
• Teachers receive more non-pecuniary benefits than other workers in most surveyed countries.
• Teachers are more likely to hold second jobs, and fixed-term contract teachers earn substantially less than permanent ones.

Conclusions:

• When considering reduced working hours and comprehensive benefits, teachers in the studied African nations are not systematically underpaid.
• Heterogeneity in teacher earnings premia is complex and not easily explained by economic or educational system characteristics.
• Policy considerations should incorporate a holistic view of compensation, including hours worked and benefits received.