Argentina is one of the countries where teachers are the least respected

This is a clue to the perception of the teacher figure in the judgment of a community: its badessment, its contribution, its estimate. The Overall index of the status of the teacher (GTSI) is a comprehensive research that processes and deals with the consideration of teachers around the world. Peoples of the world, foreign to the education system, formulating questions and ideas about wages, hours of work and the level of respect or authority. The result left Argentina with a bad note in the notebook.

It is one of five countries where the figure of the teacher is less respected. This is demonstrated by the latest ranking developed by Varkey Foundation, a charity for educational development that awards the prize to the best teachers in the world. Sunny Varkey, its founder, has attempted a reflection on the product of the survey: "This index finally offers evidence of something we have always guessed: the relationship between the position of teachers in society and the performance of teachers. children at school, it can be said with total certainty that Respect for teachers is not only an important moral duty, but also essential to the academic performance of a country"

In actual terms, the educational outcome in Argentina is significantly higher than the position it occupies in the compliance index. Argentina's position in the perception ranking vis-à-vis the educational institution is lower than the qualification obtained with regard to the average scores of PISA (International Program of Education). 39; student evaluation), where it is placed at position 22. The index the result of an equation between the teacher evaluation and the approved exam scores: the grade PISA intervenes in the level of prestige acquired by the teacher. One of the conclusions of the report states: "This result shows that a high status of the teacher is not only a desirable condition, but that it translates (on equal terms) into a higher probability that students in a country achieve better results."

The study notes that Only 15% of Argentinean respondents believe that students respect teachersit is the fourth lowest percentage of all countries participating in the report. The contrast with China dramatizes the research: 81% of those consulted consider that there is a relationship of respect between teacher and student. In Brazil, where the percentage is the lowest, only one in ten say that the teacher instils respect in the clbadroom.

The highest status of respect occurs in China. Then come four other Asian countries: Malaysia, Taiwan, Russia and Indonesia. Argentina ranks 31st out of the 35 countries surveyed and is the second lowest rated in the region, in front of Brazil, last in the global index of the status of teachers. Among the countries of South America, Ghana, Italy and Israel have an insufficient level of respect for teachers.

The ISWG – a detailed opinion poll of more than 35,000 adults aged 16 to 64 and more than 5,500 active teachers from the 35 countries studied – reveals a series of conclusions in the Argentinian scenario. Teachers work more hours per week (47.2%) than public estimates (31.2%)"This underestimation of 12.5 hours per week is the second most important of all the countries studied after Peru (13 hours)," the study said. In percentage terms, the company estimates that teachers work 39% less than they actually do.

In terms of wages, 59% of respondents believe that salaries should be badociated with student performance. The percentage is relatively high: it ranks thirteenth out of 35 countries. Except in Switzerland – the country where teachers are better paid – and in six other countries, the rest of the respondents consider that Teachers' pay is not fair nor does it obey the preponderance of their role in society.

The education system, according to the average evaluation of the Argentineans, is 5.4 out of 10. Although it is the highest estimate of other Latin American countries studied (Brazil 4.1, Peru 4.4, Panama 4.8, Chile 5.2 and Colombia 5,3), it is considerably lower than that of the evaluation. the highest of the index awarded in Finland with an average of 8.

The survey leaders asked Argentinean respondents if they wanted to encourage their children to become teachers: only one-third, or 34%, responded in the affirmative. This percentage is lower than that of Chile (41%), similar to that of Colombia (34%) but higher than that of Brazil (20%), Panama (23%) and Peru (24%). This is far from the standards registered in India (54%) and China (50%), the countries where they most stimulate the teaching career. On the other hand, only 6% of those consulted in Russia would encourage their children to adopt teaching as a profession.

In turn, according to the interpretation of those consulted in Argentina the work most similar to that of the teacher is that of the social badistant and that of the librarian, 23 and 22% respectively. The percentages are aligned with the generalities of the study: 18 of 35 countries responded to similar occupations. Only in China, Russia and Malaysia – at present, three of the five countries have the highest regard for teaching related to the medical teacher and for medical teachers. Only 8% of respondents in Argentina established this similarity.

General conclusions of the study

* The condition of teachers is improving at the global level. In 2013, 21 countries were surveyed. Five years later, they were consulted again and in thirteen of them, the teacher status score increased, and China remained stable, repeating the highest score possible.

* Respect for teachers in Asian countries. China, Malaysia, Taiwan, Indonesia, Russia, Korea and India have achieved higher results because of the higher teaching status, European and Western countries, as well as In the United States, Canada and New Zealand. "The countries of South America give teachers the lowest status of any other region," he says in his study.

* In 28 of the 35 countries, teachers receive a lower salary than the public considers equitable remuneration for their work..

* The general public underestimates the number of weekly hours of work of teachers. Only respondents in Canada, Finland, China, Indonesia, Uganda and Japan believe that teachers work more hours than they actually did. The underestimation of teaching work is greater in Latin American countries: Peru (13 hours per week), Argentina (12.5 hours) and Panama (11.4 hours).

Infographics: Marcelo Regalado