The retention of teaching staff in private tertiary colleges in Municipal Councils in Kenya; challenges and experiences in Kericho Municipality
Abstract
The main purpose of this study was to determine the challenges and experiences faced by
private tertiary colleges in Municipal Councils in Kenya in an effort to retain their
teaching staff. Data was collected by use of questionnaires which included both open and
close ended questions to allow room for further explanation. A Survey Research Design
was used in the investigation because this gave an in-depth investigation of a chosen
region; fifteen private tertiary colleges in Kericho Municipality were surveyed. The
researcher's target population were all the Principals and Deputy Principals from all
Private Tertiary Colleges in Kericho Municipality. The researcher gathered data from a
sample size of thirty senior administrative staff; the Principals and Deputy Principals.
The researcher used purposive sampling technique. Descriptive statistical methods were
used to analyze data including the use of frequency distribution, and measures of central
tendency; the mean, mode, and the median; the information was summarized and
presented diagrammatically in form of tables and/or graphs- histograms or bar charts. The
researcher established that the retention of teaching staff in private tertiary colleges in
Municipal Councils in Kenya is a challenge, there is high turnover of teaching staff and
the institutions cannot retain these caliber of staff, the findings showed that remuneration
of academic staff was a major contributor to the teaching staff turnover, most teaching
staff members considered terms and conditions of service as a major determinant of
keeping or' quitting the job. The researcher established that institutions facilities,
recruitment and selection policies and ownership of the institutions had a major role in
enhancing teaching staff retention in private tertiary colleges. The researcher
recommends that there is need to improve terms and conditions of service for teaching
staff in private tertiary colleges, special attention should be placed on remuneration,
career growth prospects and staff motivation, owners and managers should give careful
consideration to introducing a sound wage and salary system to help attract qualified,
hardworking and experienced teaching staff. Proprietors should provide adequate
learning facilities and resources so as to ensure smooth delivery of college programs.
There is need to refine recruitment and selection policies so as to enable institutions hire
the right people and ensure consistency in quality and productivity. This study was
extremely important considering that there is an upsurge in the number of Kenyans
looking for tertiary education and that there is a rapid spread and growth of Private
Tertiary Colleges in the Kenyan urban centers, hence encouraging mobility of teaching
staff and certainly affecting the quality of graduates trained in such institutions.