Non-financial motivation and teacher turnover in selected private secondary schools in Serere District, Uganda

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to find out how non-financial motivation has led to teacher turnover in selected private secondary schools in Serere District. The study was guided by three specific objectives i) to investigate how recognition affects teacher turnover in the selected private secondary schools in Serere District, ii) to assess how working conditions impact on teacher turnover in the selected private secondary schools in Serere District and iii) to analyse how career development influences teacher turnover in the selected private secondary schools in Serere District. The study adopted a descriptive cross-sectional survey design and applied a mixed method approach and a descriptive cross-sectional survey were employed. A total of 76 participants took part in this study, including 60 teachers, 08 deputy headteachers, and 08 headteachers, and the sample size was determined by Krejcie and Morgan’s table (1970) from a parent population of 130 persons. The findings on objective one revealed that the adjusted R squared, which is a statistical measure of the variation within a dependent variable, was 0.384, which indicates that 38.4% changes in teachers’ turnover are caused by a unit change in recognition. Objective two revealed that the adjusted R squared, which is a statistical measure of the variation within a dependent variable, was 0.266, which indicates that 26.6% changes in teachers’ turnover are caused by a unit change in recognition. Findings on objective three showed that the adjusted R squared, which is a statistical measure of the variation within a dependent variable, was 0.415, which indicates that 41.5% changes in teachers’ turnover are caused by a unit change in recognition. The researcher recommended that The Ministry of Education and Sports should encourage private secondary school administrators in Serere District to implement recognition programmes that appreciate teachers who perform well by giving praises and acknowledgments for good work. It was also recommended that the District Education Officer should ensure that school administrators supply adequate teaching and learning materials such as textbooks, chalk, markers, and laboratory equipment, as sufficient resources make teaching more effective and satisfying, thereby reducing frustration and turnover. The study also recommended that the National Council for Higher Education should support schools in organizing or sponsoring teachers to attend professional development workshops, seminars, and refresher courses to enhance their skills and reduce turnover.