Female teachers in Tanzania: An analysis of gender, poverty and constrained capabilities

Tanzania has made great strides in improving access to education; however, concerns about the quality of this education persist due to reports of teacher absenteeism, distraction and lack of preparation. Given this situation, this study aimed to investigate teachers’ values and contexts to provide nuanced understandings of teacher practice and behaviour, particularly with regard to how gender intersects with these. Ethnographic case studies were conducted at three Tanzanian schools and findings demonstrated that although men and women experienced similar material conditions, there were marked differences between their opportunities and constraints, which female teachers could readily relate to instances of absenteeism and distraction. A feminist interpretation of the capability approach was used to reflect on female teachers’ capabilities, constraints and agency; and socialist feminist theory was used to further elaborate on why male and female teachers differ in their valued capabilities, their levels of constraint and their actions resulting from negotiating constraint.