An analysis of factors affecting the career progression of tutors: a case of selected public teachers' training colleges

Abstract

Tutors in Kenya's public Teacher Training Colleges perennially complain about the lack of promotions, which resulted in some of them seeking employment in other fields and countries. This study sought to analyse the factors affecting the career progression of these tutors. The literature review covered the process of performance appraisal, the promotion policies in place, the roles of teachers' unions in professional growth, and personal characteristics of the tutors in influencing their career progressions. Respondents were sampled from four teacher-training colleges, some officials of TSC, KNUT and KUPPET. Questionnaires were used to gather information. Descriptive statistics of the measures of central tendencies were used to analyze the data using the statistical package for social sciences, (SPSS). Research results showed that majority of the tutors have stayed in their current job groups, predominantly in L, M and N, for less than three years, while a third of them have stagnated in their current stations for more than 12 years. The most important policy that affects tutors' career progression is passing the interview while higher academic qualification is the most influential factor towards their promotions. Majority of those interviewed did not receive any appraisal feedback from TSC. Still, most of the tutors preferred interviews for promotional appraisals. Majority of the respondents had not been trained in performance appraisal techniques, and most tutors would pursue higher academic qualification for promotion. The principal components analysis revealed six most salient factors affecting tutors' career progression. Factor one hinges on tutor's personal characteristics. Factor two was named service time and the third factor was named the enabling environment. Factor four was called the conditions. Factor five was named policy limitations, while the sixth factor was named the opportunity. It is recommended that the TSC trains it staffers in performance appraisal techniques; give feed back for motivation and offer promotion courses to all its teachers.