Influence of teachers’ job security on teacher retention in public primary schools in Machakos county, Kenya

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