Factors related to University of Zambia graduate teacher attrition in Zambian secondary schools
Date
2011-06-16
Authors
Nyirenda, Herbert Blackson
Chayima
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Abstract
The Intrusion of economists on the educational scene In the 1950's changed people's views about the value and use of education. Education has since been considered as a factor of growth. A teacher, from an economic perspective, Is regarded as a valuable human resource In the process of national development. This human resource after receiving advanced education and professional skills, for a country such as Zambia, Is normally allocated to the education system. However, the Zamhian education system has been losing a significant number of teachers every year. The rate of University graduate teachers In secondary schools has been observed to be higher than the rate of the other categories of teachers.
The purpose of this study was to determine the current rate of attrition among the University graduate teachers and to Identify the factors associated with teacher wastage. A tracer study was conducted. One hundred former university graduate secondary school teachers were randomly selected, Initially a stratified random sampling frame was employed and then a. systematic random sampling was used.
There were seventy-five male and twenty-five female respondents. Many employers, who included companies and other government departments, were contacted and questionaires were administered to some of the former university graduate secondary school teachers. Data were categorised and then described by use of tables and percentages. The chi-square and cochran-O were used to inferentially analyse the data.
The study succeeded in quantifying the graduation wastage rate, active teaching wastage rate and the total wastage rate from 1971 to 1987. The study also managed to identify the factors associated with attrition in secondary schools.
These factors included low salary and poor conditions of service, frustration due to professional stagnation and poor treatment by some immediate supervisory staff and the declining status of a teacher. It was noted that teaching as a profession is good for many of those who have taught but the monetary reward for the- job is daunting. The study foresees a more serious shortage of senior secondary school teachers if the present rate of attrition is unabated,
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Education-graduate teacher attrition in Zambia