Teacher absenteeism, large class size, and performance pressure: Barriers to student well-being at secondary schools in Bangladesh

Saira Hossain

International Journal of Educational Development, 2025, vol. 114, issue C

Abstract: The growing importance of enhancing student well-being experiences at school is increasingly receiving attention globally. This paper presents findings from a qualitative study among 40 secondary school students from Bangladesh to understand the barriers to their well-being experiences at school. Data were collected through One-on-one and focus group interviews with students from both urban and rural areas. Using a constructivist grounded theory approach, the authors found three barriers: (i) Teacher absenteeism, (ii) large class size, and (iii) performance pressure that prevents students from experiencing well-being at school. The identified barriers have been discussed by looking at student experiences within the sociocultural context of a country from the Global South, such as Bangladesh. The study findings have implications for improving the current school practices and educational policies in Bangladesh and promoting student well-being experiences. The study recommends developing a well-functioning performance monitoring system and introducing performance bonuses for teachers. Besides recruiting new teachers, it is suggested to ensure the need-based distribution of teachers. Reducing the high-stakes summative exams and increasing the formative assessment is also recommended to make a shift from an assessment-centric to a learner-centric education system.

Keywords: Global South; Grounded theory; Large class size; Student well-being; Performance pressure; Teacher absenteeism (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2025
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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:eee:injoed:v:114:y:2025:i:c:s0738059325000550

DOI: 10.1016/j.ijedudev.2025.103257

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