Cutting class: Educator perspectives on teacher absenteeism in Brazil

According to research performed by the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) in 2008, 32% of Brazilian teachers work in schools whose principals complain of constant teacher absences. This placed Brazil in 8th position out of 23 other OECD countries involved in the investigation . There are many factors that can explain why relatively high rates of teacher absenteeism exist. This thesis examines the relevance of such factors to the absenteeism problem in Brazil and presents additional causes for low attendance. I also evaluate how neoliberal ideology, the ‘feminization of teaching’ and the socio-economic and political contexts in Brazil have influenced current teacher conditions. I have conducted interviews with teachers and administrators employed in the public school system in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Data reveal that consequences for absenteeism are considered to be too permissive, the working environment for many teachers in Brazil is unsatisfactory and the salary for teachers in Brazil is low. Additionally, poor health conditions plague the majority of teachers with absences and numerous absences are the result of damage to the vocal chords of teachers as well as exhaustion and fatigue due to stress . I conclude that low salary and low social value placed on the teaching profession in Brazil lay at the root of the issue, decreasing teacher motivation and commitment