Teacher turnover factors on learning achievement in biology in public secondary schools in Garissa County, Kenya

Abstract

Teachers are key determinants in schools’ performance and survival. Their role in curriculum implementation process cannot be underestimated. However, the government’s inability to retain qualified and experienced teachers in some schools due to high turnover impacts negatively on the students’ learning achievement. The purpose of this study, therefore, was to investigate teacher turnover factors on learning achievement in Biology in public secondary schools in Garissa County. The objectives of the study were to: examine the attributes of teachers’ turnover on learning achievement in Biology, analyze the school working conditions of teachers’ turnover on learning achievement in Biology and evaluate job satisfaction of teachers’ turnover on learning achievement in Biology in public secondary schools. The study was guided by Becker’s Human Capital Theory of Occupational Choice and Gagne’s Theory of Five Conditions of Learning. The study’s philosophical paradigm was adopted from the Pragmatic Worldview and embraced a convergent mixed-methods design. The target population was 2786 individuals, comprising 2691 form three students and 95 Biology teachers from 40 public secondary schools. Stratified random sampling was used to select 27 schools. A total sample of 387 respondents participated in the study and included 336 form three students and 51 Biology teachers who were randomly and purposively sampled respectively. The research instruments for data collection were teachers’ questionnaire and document analysis guide. Quantitative data from the questionnaire was analyzed by descriptive and inferential statistics using Pearson Product Moment Correlation and Multiple Linear Regression while qualitative data from document analysis guide was analyzed thematically. The study established that all the independent variables considered had p-values less than the levels of significance (teacher attributes; r=0.76, p<0.05, school working conditions; r=0.73, p<0.05 and job satisfaction; r=0.67, p<0.05) indicating positive significant correlations with the dependent variable; learning achievement in Biology. Qualitative data findings from document analysis guide revealed that teacher attributes influenced absenteeism, massive transfer requests and duty desertions. Further, majority of the teachers intended to transfer from rural to urban schools on the basis of unsuitable working conditions and insecurity. The study findings also indicated that teachers attended lessons inadequately prepared to teach due to job dissatisfaction. The study therefore concluded that, teachers’ turnover factors influenced low learning achievement in Biology in public secondary schools in Garissa County. The study recommended strategies that should lower teacher turnover and increase learning achievement in Biology as follows; the Teachers’ Service Commission should come up with teacher retention strategies such as robust mentorship programs for the newly employed teachers and provision of attractive remuneration that commensurate with one’s level of education. School principals should provide good leadership and adequate instructional resources for effective teaching of Biology while the government should post security officers to every learning institution in Garissa County to safeguard the teachers’ safety and security. The findings of this study will benefit policy makers, and all key stakeholders concerned with efficient and effective learning in Biology in insecurity prone regions in Kenya.