Challenges facing school- based teacher recruitment in public secondary schools in Mombasa County, Kenya

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to investigate challenges emanating from school based selection and recruitment of secondary school teachers in Mombasa County faced by Board of Governors (BOG). Although the Government of Kenya has strategies to enhance equality and distribution of teachers in Kenya, there have been challenges in decentralisation of teachers' recruitment in Kenya public secondary schools. Objective number one was to determine factors affecting teachers' recruitment in secondary schools. Objective number two was to establish criteria used by BOG in selection and recruitment of secondary school teachers. Objective number three was to establish personnel and political factors that affect BOG members in their role of selection and recruitment of teacher's recruitment. Objective number four was to determine other challenges BOG faced in teachers' recruitment and how they were resolved. The research question one was, what are the factors affecting teacher's recruitment in public secondary schools? Research question two was, what are the criteria used by BOG in recruitment of secondary school teachers in public schools? Research question three was what are the personnel and political factors affecting BOG members in their role of teacher's recruitment? Research question four was what are the other challenges that face BOG in teacher's recruitment? Research question five was how were the challenges that faced BOG in teachers' recruitment resolved? In the Conceptual Framework model the independent factors are challenges facing school based teachers' recruitment in public secondary schools in Mombasa County. The dependent factors are efficiency in teachers' recruitment, even distribution of teachers and retention of teachers in schools. The intervening variable is the school based recruitment policy. The study population was the thirty secondary schools in the County. All these schools contributed the target population of the study. Twelve schools were randomly selected to participate in the study. Simple random sampling was used to select ten teachers from each school. Twelve principals from these schools were included in the sample. This gave a total sample of one hundred and thirty two subjects. The study employed descriptive survey design.Questionnaires were used for collecting data. Reliability was tested by subjecting the instruments to a pilot study through the split half technique and then using Spearman Brown formula to compute a reliability coefficient which was established at 0.72. Results were analysed using counts, percentages, frequency distribution tables, bar graphs and pie charts. The researcher found out that there were challenges affecting BOG while carrying out their recruitment duties in public secondary schools. These challenges include inadequate capacity at County and school level to manage the recruitment process resulting in tribalism, nepotism, sectionalism, and irregularities in the exercise. Political interference and invested interests in BOG members was another challenge.The study found out that these challenges hindered the recruitment exercise. The study recommends to the Ministry of Education to come up with transparent and credible recruitment policy guidelines to ensure fairness and justice is done to all the applicants for the teaching jobs. The MOE to ensure that BOG members have a certain minimum qualifications for them to be appointed. Teachers unions should be involved in the recruitment exercise to ensure fairness to all applicants. A representative from TSC should be present during the recruitment process to ensure recruitment guidelines are strictly followed. Standardized interview questions should be formulated for all the applicants for teaching job.