Career Development Prospects on Retention of Teachers in Public Secondary Schools in Kenya

Abstract

This study sought to investigate the influence of career development prospects on retention of teachers   in public secondary schools in Kathonzweni Sub County, Makueni County, Kenya. The study objective sought to investigate the influence of career development practices on retention of teachers in public secondary schools in Kathonweni Sub-County. The study adopted descriptive survey research design. The target population consisted of all 791 teachers from Kathozweni Sub County. Proportionate sampling technique was used to select 117 teachers. Data was collected using questionnaires. Quantitative data was analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics with the aid of SPSS (Statistical Package for Social Science) Software and presented using cross tabulation tables and pie charts. The Pearson correlation coefficient was used to analyze inferential data. The set level of significance was 0.05. From the findings, career development practices had a positive relationship with teachers. The average mean of positive responses was 3.4. This implied that most of the teachers agreed with most of the statements though the answers differed as shown in the standard deviation of 1.0. The results also showed that career development practices were positively and significantly related (β=0.589ρ=0.00). In conclusion career management increases work performance of employees and motivates workers to want to stay. This study is significant to various stakeholders in determining the best motivational techniques for use in order to improve teacher performance and retention in their schools. The study recommends training of teacher trainers on career development procedures with the aim of guiding and developing teacher’s career in their schools.                    

Key words: Career development practices, teachers’ retention, public secondary schools