Time to Teach – Gabon

Teacher absenteeism is one of the biggest obstacles to educational progress and children's learning and poses a particularly serious problem in developing countries. In addition, the negative impact of absenteeism is even greater when it occurs in poorer and more vulnerable schools. Although there has been little empirical analysis of the incidence of teacher absenteeism in Gabon, it is widely considered to be one of the most widespread problems in the country's education system. Although national politicians recognize the difficulties caused by absenteeism, there have been few studies on the factors, policies and practices that affect teacher attendance in Gabon.

The Time to Teach study seeks to fill this gap in knowledge. The study’s main objective is to help foster a better understanding of teacher attendance and teaching time in primary schools in Gabon. The study adopts a broad definition of teacher absenteeism that includes 1) absence from school, 2) poor teacher punctuality, 3) absence from class, and 4) reduced time spent teaching. The Time to Teach study uses a systemic analytical framework that explores the underlying factors at five different levels of the education system: national, subnational, community, school and teacher.