RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN SCHOOL FACTORS AND TEACHERS’ ABSENTEEISM IN PUBLIC SECONDARY SCHOOLS IN KINANGO SUB-COUNTY, KWALE COUNTY, KENYA

Abstract

In the recent years, there has been a significant effort by developing countries to improve the quality of education offered to children in schools. However, teachers’ absenteeism is a serious problem facing many countries. In Kenya, teachers’ absenteeism is a serious challenge facing many schools. Teacher Service Commission identified teachers’ absenteeism as a common problem they experience when dealing with teachers’, duty desertion and other indiscipline cases. Therefore, there is need to understand school factors that relates to teachers’ absenteeism. The purpose of this study was to establish the relationship between school factors and teachers’ absenteeism in public secondary schools in Kinango Sub-County, Kwale County. The objectives of the study were to examine the relationship between school working environment and teachers’ absenteeism, to determine the relationship between principals’ leadership styles and teachers’ absenteeism, to establish the relationship between teachers’ workload and their absenteeism, to examine the relationship between school culture and teachers’ absenteeism. The two-factor theory by Fredrick Herzberg’s (1959) guided the study. The study adopted mixed methods research design. The study sample size was 162 secondary school teachers and 8 school principals employed by the Teachers service commission (TSC). A multi-stage random sampling technique which included stratified sampling technique, simple random sampling technique and purposive sampling technique were used to sample the respondents of the study. Questionnaire and interview guide were used to collect data from teachers. The reliability was enhanced through test-retest method. The study yielded quantitative data. Data from descriptive statistics were presented using bar graphs and tables. The quantitative results of the study were analyzed by statistical package for social sciences (SPSS). The inferential statistics used were correlation and regression. They were used to analyze the data. The study found out that there was negative and statistically significant relationship between school working environment and teachers’ absenteeism (r = -.295). The study noted that there was negative and statistically significant relationship between transformational leadership style and teachers’ absenteeism (r = -.577), transactional leadership style and teachers’ absenteeism (r = -.370). The study found out that there was negative and statistically significant relationship between teachers’ workload and teachers’ absenteeism (r = -.466). On school culture, the study found out that there was negative and statistically significant relationship between school culture and teachers’ absenteeism (r = -.345) at significant level 0.01. The equation for the multiple regression line was constructed as follows Y = 2.605 – 0.111 (School working environment) – 0.295 (Principals leadership styles) – 0.106 (Teachers’ workload) – 0.065 (School culture) + μ0. The study concluded that there was negative significant relationship between school working environment, principals’ leadership style, teachers’ workload and, school culture and teachers’ absenteeism. The study recommended a study to be carried out on the causes of teachers’ absenteeism in other locale and draw cross comparisons.