Privatization, a factor of inequality in the teachers' working conditions in Mali

Abstract

In Mali, the privatization and commodification of education had consequences for both access and quality, particularly for the teaching profession. The scientific literature emphasizes the precariousness of the working conditions of this profession in sub-Saharan Africa, which impacts the general quality of education. In the context of a recent research project, we, therefore, wish to understand the extent to which privatization has specifically contributed to the devaluation of these conditions in Mali. In this article, we focus on aspects that highlight inequalities in the treatment of primary school teachers. We used a mixed approach combining qualitative data (institutional documents, interviews, and observations) and quantitative data (questionnaires). This research shows that private school teachers rarely have satisfactory working conditions (salaries and contracts) compared to public school teachers. Moreover, this situation has worsened during the Covid-19 pandemic.