Organisational stress management strategies and retention •of teachers in private secondary schools in Wakiso district, Uganda

Abstract

The study sought to establish the influence of Organisational Stress Management Strategies on Retention of teachers in Private Secondary Schools in Wakiso, Uganda. The study was prompted by the low level of retention of teacher in most private secondary schools in Uganda. The purpose of this study was to establish the influence of Organisational Stress Management Strategies on the retention of teachers in Private Secondary Schools in Wakiso District. The descriptive research design was used to enable the researcher to gather current information from different categories of the of the sample population. The target population consisted of all teachers and Head teachers in Private Secondary Schools. The sample comprised of 304 teachers and 20 headteachers from selected Private Schools. Purposive sampling technique was used to select teachers and Headteachers used for the study. Questionnaires and interview guides were used to collect data for the study. The Data were analysed using frequency counts, percentage scores and Pearson Product Moment Correlation. The study findings revealed that Private Secondary Schools had Challenges of retaining teachers. The study also revealed that removing the stressor, change of stress perception, communication and social support Strategies were commonly used as Organisational Stress Management in Private Secondary Schools. It was further found out that there was a Positive perception amongst the teachers towards the Organisational Stress Management Strategies being employed by Private Secondary Schools. The study also showed that there was a significant positive relationship between the Organisational Stress Management Strategies and Challenges of retaining teachers among Private Secondary Schools in Wakiso District. It was concluded that: Teachers are faced with many challenges and retention of teachers was found to be low, the Organisational Stress Management strategies commonly used were removing the stressor, change of stress perception, communication and social support organisational stress management strategies. It was also concluded that there was a positive perception amongst the teachers on the various Organisational Stress Management strategies being employed by private secondary school and there was a significant relationship between Organisational Stress Management strategies and Challenges of Retaining teachers in private secondary schools in Wakiso district. Basing on the findings of the study, it was recommended that all proprietors of Private Secondary Schools should adequately remunerate their teachers and establish attractive retention policies. A more systematic research was recommended in the area of Influence of Institutional Human Resource Policy and Gender on the effectiveness of Organisational Stress Management Strategies.