The context and profile of teachers in developing countries in the last decade: A revealing discussion for further investigation

Purpose - The aim of this paper is to examine the teacher's career in developing countries based on a review of studies published in refereed journals of comparative education and of teaching education, and to suggest further lines of research on teaching and teachers in these countries. Design/methodology/approach - The paper is based partially on a systematic review of 13 English-language papers that have been published in peer-reviewed journals in educational administration, teaching education, and comparative education. Findings - The review shows that teaching seems to be a kind of default or a supplementary form of income, from which male members seek constantly to escape, and many teachers are described as holding low qualifications with limited opportunities to participate in in-service trainings. Teaching is characterised in terms of knowledge-transmission, adherence to prescribed curriculum and textbooks, summative assessment of student achievements, and conservativeness. Practical implications - Future directions for further exploration of this area of study are suggested (e.g. exploring teacher career in developing countries, understanding professional needs). Originality/value - Despite the central role of teachers in the social and economic development of their societies, our knowledge base of the career of teachers in developing countries is limited and inchoate. The paper, then, is an initial attempt to accumulate our knowledge about the life and work of schoolteachers in developing countries, and to suggest directions for future research on these issues.