Opinion: Pay Them More – Why Teacher Wages In Malta Urgently Need To Rise
It comes as no surprise that teachers are the cornerstone of education in Malta, they are often tasked the impossible job of shaping future generations and this is an extremely honourable ordeal considering the challenges that come along with the job.
That said, teachers are often extremely underpaid when contemplating their importance in our society, with average salaries in Malta being €17,509, well below the European average of €25,055.
Something needs to change and fast. Students often look to teachers for guidance and teachers can have a massive influence on their students. Highly motivated teachers have a significantly positive impact on the student and can make all the difference in the educational process.
When teachers are not compensated fairly their happiness is often impacted and this could reflect on the students themselves.
There are many reasons why paying teachers more will definitely pay off in the long run for everyone but here are five of them:
1. It will fix issues of staff shortages
If wages improve, more people will consider taking up teaching as a profession, improving the pipeline whilst fixing issues of staff shortages.
Paying teachers fairly for the work they do will encourage others to take on the essential role who otherwise would have been put off by the unfairly low wages.
2. It will help keep teachers in the classroom
By improving wages, there will likely be a lower turnover rate among teachers with higher salaries, which would in turn result in improved student performance. Teacher turnover can negatively impact the quality of a child’s education due to inconsistencies in education style and periods of time without teachers until positions are filled.
3. More engaging curricula and methods of teaching
When teachers are happier due to better pay, the likelihood of a teacher’s output being better is higher. Teachers who are paid more are often more invested in the source material and this is reflected positively on the students themselves.
4. Higher pay for teachers usually means students perform better
Perhaps the most interesting advantage of paying teachers more is that students as a result often do better.
According to recent studies, a 10% increase in teacher salary would result in a 5–10% improvement in student performance. Students also gain long-term advantages from teacher compensation as students tend to complete more schooling as a result.
Ultimately teachers deserve to be paid fairly and in accordance with the importance of their job, wages in this sector need to be amended to reflect the realities that teachers are facing.
Therefore with the cost of living on the rise and new challenges arising when it comes to education and students, the time has come to reconsider the nation’s priorities in favour of those who have the most influence over its outcome.
Cover photo: Left: Education Minister Clifton Grima, Right: Stock image
Do you agree that teacher wages should rise?