Abstract:
The purpose of the study was to investigate the influence of teachers’ job security practices on teacher retention
in public primary schools in Machakos County. The study objectives sought to find out the influence to which
financial security matters, performance mentorship, health support and professional ethics inducted to teachers
in time has on their retention. The study based its findings on Fredrick Herzbergs’ Two-Factor Theory of
Motivation. Mixed method research approach was applied targeting 898 headteachers, 8768 teachers, One TSC
Director and nine TSC Sub county Directors. The study adopted stratified simple random sampling where 90
headteachers and 382 teachers were sampled and for the directors, census method to the 8 TSC Sub county
directors was used. Questionnaires for headteachers and teachers were used and interview schedule for the
directors were adopted. Descriptive and the inferential data was analyzed with the aid of SPSS. The quantitative
data was analyzed quantitatively by use of inferential techniques. The study used Correlation analysis
technique, the Pearsons’ Correlation Coefficient (r) and Pearsons’ Chi Test (p) to test the strength and
significance between the study variables. For qualitative data the researcher organized the data into themes
based on the study objectives and presented in narrative form. The study identified a relationship between
teachers’ job security and their retention; alpha level of 0.05, F=5.097; 0.001<0.5. From the study findings it
was recommended that a unit in curriculum be introduced in collages to enhance teachers’ length of stay in
stations aiming at teacher retention for quality performance
