A Study of Secondary School Teacher Turnover in South Nations, Nationalities and Peoples Regional State
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Date
2007-07
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Addis Ababa University
Abstract
This study aimed at investigating the pressing issue of the reasons why teachers leave
government secondary schools of SNNPRS and the factors that contributed to the high teacher
turnover. It was also intended to identify strategies for reducing turnover and increasing
retention. To this end, answers to basic questions pertaining to trend and cost of turnover, initial
commitmel1l, major causes of turnover, and future intention of practicing and former teachers
were sough!.
In this study. a descriptive survey method was employed. Awassa administrative town, four Zones
(Gideo, Sidama, Wolayita, Kefa) and four spedal woredas (A maro, Konso, Derashe and Alaba)
ofSNNPRS were taken as samples. From these zones and special woredas, random samples of 18
secondary schools out of which (N=272) practicing teachers and all sampled school principals
(N= J8) were taken. In addition, available former teachers (N=J55) were involved in filling
questionnaires to provide first hand information. Interviews were conducted with education
offiCials from REB and WEDs. In addition, various documents and personal observation and
experiences were used as instrument to collect data. The data obtained was analyzed by using
statistical tools such as percentage, rank order correlation coefficient and chi- square.
_ T.he study revealed that average teacher turnover il1 s,econdary schools per annum (20002/3-
2006/7) for the region was 13.3%; the highest (26. J%) being in Amaro special woreda and the
lowest (6.9%) in Yirgalem. In proportion 26.6% of fe males and J 1.9% of male teachers left
government secondary schools of the region from 2002/03 to 2006.
PractiCing teachers intended to leave and fonner teachers left teaching in government secondary
schools mainly due to: low economic and financial benefits, low social prestige accorded to
teaching by the society, unfavorable working condition, unfair criteria used for promotion,
selection and transfer, administrative problems and scarcity of instructional materials. The study
also revealed that the majority of practicing and former teachers lacked initial commitmel1l to
teaching. Moreover, a substantial number of practicing teachers disclosed that they would not
prefer to stay in the profession while the majority offormer teachers did not have the intention to
return to the profession.
Finally the study has identified some major consequences of teacher turnover like, school staffing
problems, lower student achievement in national examination, additional cost incurred by
students, parel1ls and schools, delay in teachers' transfer, and teachers' psychological and
physicai stress due to overload. Improving the status of teachers, using fair criteria for selection
and deployment, providing incentives, giving support and respect for teachers, improving
working conditions, etc. have been suggested as solutions to reduce turnover, enhance retention
and attracrrhe best recruits to teacher education programs.
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Keywords
issue of the reasons why teachers leave government secondary schools