Reproducibility package for A Comparative Analysis of Contract and Government Teachers in Sierra Leone: Profiles and Practices

This study examines the dynamics and implications of using contract teachers in developing countries, with a specific focus on Sierra Leone. Despite the rapid rise in the number of contract teachers across Sub-Saharan Africa, with almost 70% of all primary level teachers hired via contracts, relatively little is still known about them, as well as their impact on education policy and learning. This is critical given the predominance of contract teachers, who are not on the government payroll and are often hired outside the conventional system, as a strategic response to the acute shortage of qualified teaching personnel and the growing pressures on educational systems due to increased enrollment. Drawing on data from the World Bank’s Global Education Policy Dashboard (GEPD), the study compares the profiles and practices of primary level contract and government teachers in Sierra Leone.
The findings reveal that despite lower pre-service training and different incentive structures, contract teachers perform comparably to their government counterparts on several teaching practice indicators. They also engage more in in-service training, possibly as a mechanism to "catch up" with the formal qualifications of government teachers. Similarly, teachers fourth grade content knowledge suggests that while government teachers possess higher literacy knowledge, contract teachers score slightly higher in math content knowledge. However, disparities still exist in student learning outcomes, with students taught by government teachers outperforming those taught by contract teachers on both literacy and math assessments. These results should be interpreted with caution, as contract teachers tend to be allocated in hard-to-reach areas with higher poverty levels. However, even though these results do not establish causality, students may perform worse in contract teachers’ classrooms due to a higher rate of absenteeism among contract teachers who often take on other jobs in addition to teaching.
This suggests that while contract teachers can mitigate teacher shortages, especially in rural and remote areas, the quality of education may be affected. The study also reveals higher levels of job dissatisfaction among contract teachers, likely due to their lower salaries and less stable job conditions.
The findings underscore the need for a nuanced approach in policymaking, one that not only fills teaching vacancies through contract teachers but also enhances the support, training and professional development opportunities for these educators. By improving the overall quality and consistency of teaching, Sierra Leone can better ensure that all students receive a quality education, irrespective of their teacher’s contractual status.