Influence of school management practices on teacher retention in selected semi-rural private primary schools in Kira Municipality Wakiso district, Uganda

Abstract

The study investigated the influence of school management practices and teacher retention in selected semi-rural private primary schools in Kira Municipality. This uncovers the deeper school managerial problem, where school managers fail to create conducive school management practices to favour teachers' stay at the place of work for a relatively longer time and this fails the achievement of the educational aims and goals. The study established the relationship between headteacher control practices and teacher retention with the school: the influence of budgeting of rewards on teacher retention with the school; and the relationship between organizing of school infrastructure and teacher retention in the school. A cross-sectional survey design adopting a mixed approach was used. The study sample was I 00 participants and these included I 0 SM Cs members, 10 Headteachers and 80 teachers. Data collection methods involved quantitative and qualitative methods, where use of questionnaires and interview facilitated data correction. Results show that relationship between headteacher control practices and teacher retention (r =. 758••: p= .081) was not significant. Results also show that budgeting for teacher reward significantly affected teacher retention (r =.600 .. : p= .000). Furthermore results show that organizing of school infrastructure significantly influenced teacher retention (r =.808••: p= .000). It was concluded that the headteacher control practices did not influence teacher retention. It ""as also concluded that if semi-rural private schools focused on budgeting for teacher reward. as well as organizing of the school infrastructure then its teacher retention would improve. The study recommended that the stakeholders in the school management like the members of school management committees and Headteachers should work together to ensure teachers' welfare. remuneration and attitude towards work in order to create a conducive working environment at school and thus enhancing retention levels of teachers. The Headteachers, SM Cs and teachers of private primary schools in Kira Municipality should work as a unit to promote teacher retention.