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Create substitute timetables ─ one way of addressing absenteeism among teachers

Nov 13, 2024 Letters

(Create substitute timetables)

Dear Editor,

The Minister of Education has lamented about the high rate of absenteeism among teachers. The resulting scenario of unattended students can have dire consequences: children being deprived of education, disorderly classrooms, bullying, horseplay, vandalism, disrupting other studious classmates etc.

This situation is unacceptable and needs a many-pronged approach to remedy it; one of them being the existence of an in-school substitute timetable in each school. I worked as a teacher administrator in Belize for 20 years and can attest to the fact that this system is effective, especially in schools with at-risk students who can trash the classroom if they are left unattended.

One of my duties/responsibilities was to create a substitute timetable at the beginning of the school year after each teacher’s timetable is finalized.  I would print copies of each timetable, then make a spreadsheet of all the teachers who had non-teaching periods, from period 1 to 7 each day. Then I would make the substitute timetable. If two teachers had non-teaching periods on Monday first period they will be substitutes 1 and 2 for that period and so forth.

In that way all classes were taught. The substitute teachers were made aware of the timetable and it was posted in the staffroom. They were expected to be on standby during the periods that they were slated to substitute. Those with more teaching periods, about 28 , will be timetabled to substitute less than those with less periods , about 20 .If perchance more than two substitutes were required for a period then a third free teacher is asked to fill in.

Some teachers would complain that they are rarely absent and it is unfair to them. This point is taken and they should be called upon to do less substituting when a third or fourth substitute is needed for the same period. Otherwise, teachers substitute for others because they also are sometimes absent, and the students are taught and not left unattended.

At the same time, each teacher is required to lodge a folder in the office with about five lesson plans, to be replenished as required. The substitute teachers will then uplift a lesson plan for each class they cover.

This can be implemented secondary and tertiary level educational institutions in which teachers have non-teaching (formerly known as free) periods. It would also preclude the need to outsource/employ educators from outside to substitute/supply in schools daily.

There are other damage control methods which the Ministry of Education may implement.

My input is a preventative, proactive , workable solution , not a reactive, punitive one.

Thank you,

Sincerely ,

Karan Chand

(Create substitute timetables)

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