An evaluation of institutional related conditions which determine teacher retention in public primary schools in Machakos County, Kenya

Abstract

Educational institutional should provide conducive working conditions to retain teachers long for academic excellence. The ministry of education ensures staffing of teachers in public learning institutions for provision of quality education. Retention of teachers has been an issue of concern in the management of public primary schools and interferes with continuity in learning which has informed the need for this study. The study intended to evaluate the influence of institutional related conditions on teacher retention in public primary schools in Machakos County, Kenya. The study was based on the Fredrick Herzberg’s’ Two-factor theory and embraced the mixed method approach. The target population comprised of 898 headteachers, 8768 teachers, 9 TSC Sub-County directors and one TSC County director in Machakos County. The study employed census sampling, simple stratified proportionate sampling, and random sampling to select the study respondents. Questionnaires were used to collect data for headteachers and teachers while interview schedules were used to collect data from the TSC Sub-County directors and the TSC County director. Content Validity of research instruments was ascertained using a pilot study while reliability of instruments was ascertained using Test-Retest technique. Qualitative data entry and organization; content analysis and interpretation were conducted based on the study objective. Quantitative data was analyzed using percentages and reported in graphs, charts and frequency distribution tables. Qualitative data drawn from interview was transcribed into themes and integrated with rest of the data for purposes of triangulation. Coefficient of Correlation was used on hypotheses to establish the influence of institutional conditions on teacher retention. Hypothesis was tested at 0.05 level of confidence. The study results indicated that there was a statistically strong significant relationship between institutional related conditions and teacher retention in public primary schools in Machakos County, Kenya. The results showed that institutional related conditions were significant at (p) levels of 0.024. The study concluded that institutional related conditions influenced teacher retention. Based on the results the study recommended Ministry of Education, Teachers Service Commission, Boards of Management, and school administration should provide favourable institutional working conditions for teacher retention.