Minimizing teacher transfer requests: A study of Suba district secondary schools, Kenya

Abstract

Teacher transfer requests interfere with the stability and continuity of teaching thereby causing low student performance. The purpose of the study was to investigate how teacher transfer requests can be minimized. The study employed a descriptive survey design. The population of the study included 16 head teachers, 126 teachers and the provincial staffing officer. The sample had 13 head teachers, 98 teachers and the provincial staffing officer after 30% of the stratified population were involved in the pilot. The 3 strata were rural location, urban location and the school located within the Islands, which had diverse working conditions. However, 29 (30%) of the teachers were randomly sampled for interviews. The data were collected using questionnaires as well as interview schedules. The study revealed that teacher transfer requests could be reduced if transport and communication to schools was improved; electricity and houses were made available to teachers; teachers employed from the locality and posted next to their families, class sizes were reduced, teacher induction and mentoring programs encouraged, retention bonuses instituted and teachers involved in decision making at school level. The study recommended that the government should provide electricity and improve accessibility in Suba district by improving roads; school boards should facilitate the availability of housing facilities to teachers. More teachers should be employed through decentralized system to reduce student teacher ratio. The head teachers and school managements should adopt induction programs to support new teachers and provide retention bonuses for teachers to make them want to stay longer.