To be Appointed or not to Be Appointed: The Problems of Paid-Teachers

Abstract

In Turkey, after graduation without analysis of teacher demand-supply, candidates, trained as a teacher or gain right to become a teacher in different ways (such as out-of-field teaching, pedagogical formation, short-term courses), have faced serious problems about employment. This study aims to identify the problems, the paid-teachers as non-appointed teachers have experienced. In this study, a qualitative research method and phenomenological research design were used. The study group consists of 21 paid-teachers, working at state schools in Ankara and 4 academicians, expert on educational planning. Data collected by means of interviews and open-ended questionnaires, was analyzed by the content analysis method. According to the findings, the participants have regarded the problem of non-appointed teacher as dependent and hopeless generations, planlessness, political choice, human resource exploitation. On the other hand, participants have described the problems of non-appointed teachers, like psycho-social (burnout, alienation, suicide), employment problems (not guaranteed jobs, out-of-field jobs), and financial difficulty, national exam, social pressure. According to views of participants, teacher employment problems can be solved by means of education and employment policies, raising teachers’awareness, alternative education missions and vocational guidance.