Influence of job satisfaction on turnover among primary school teachers in Kasarani Division, Nairobi County, Kenya

Abstract

Some teachers in Kenya are leaving the teaching profession in public schools citing dissatisfaction with their jobs. The main objective of the study was to analyze job dissatisfaction and turnover among primary school teachers in Kasarani division. Studies have not extensively focused on other factors that may affect teacher satisfaction other than the remuneration. This study sought to analyze the case of job dissatisfaction among primary school teachers working in an urban environment of Kasarani Division Nairobi District and its effect on teacher turnover.Specific objectives included i) to determine the levels of dissatisfaction among primary school teachers in Kasarani division, ii) to analyze the factors that lead to Job dissatisfaction in Kasarani division, iii) To find out the opinions of teachers on how their dissatisfaction can be tackled, iv) To determine the turnover rates due to dissatisfaction in Kasarani division. The study was based on the Herzeberg et al' two factor theory. The conceptual framework for this study was based on the factors that lead to job dissatisfaction and its interaction to affect performance. This study used the descriptive research design. The study was conducted in Kasarani division Nairobi north district. The target population of the study was the 25 public primary schools and the 315 teachers of the various subjects. Questionnaires were the main research instrument. Questionnaires were used because they enabled the researcher to gather data from many respondents simultaneously thereby saving time and cost of gathering data. Validity of the research instrument was done through piloting to detect any potential misunderstanding or biasing effects of different questions. The reliability of the instruments was tested using the test-retest method. The total sample size of the study was 69 teachers. The number of teachers interviewed from each school depended on the total number of teachers in the school (Sampling fraction was 0.2). Data collected was analyzed using descriptive statistics methods, especially the measures of central tendency (mean, mode and median and standard deviation). The study provided data on the factors leading to job dissatisfaction and subsequent performance of the teachers. (The findings were useful to the stakeholders notably the ministry of education in coming up with measures that can help improve on job satisfaction). Majority of the teachers who were two-thirds were satisfied with their job, however a third of the teachers were not satisfied with their job. The factors leading to dissatisfaction included the salary, the work load, distance from school to home and the process of promotions in the schools. Some teachers (40%) had left the teaching profession citing dissatisfaction. The study concluded that i) the teachers of Kasarani division were satisfied with many aspects of their teaching profession. There were however few aspects of their profession that were dissatisfying but they did not make a significant difference, ii) Several factors led to job dissatisfaction including; poor salary, the system of promotions, working environment and the distance from school, iii)To reduce job dissatisfaction the government should consider revising the scheme, post teachers near their homes and reduce the workload of teachers, iv)Due to dissatisfaction there is a considerable teacher turnover in Kasarani division.