The European Educational Researcher

Teacher Recruitment, Motivation and Retention at Rural Schools in Namibia

The European Educational Researcher, Volume 2, Issue 2, 2019, pp. 127-144
OPEN ACCESS VIEWS: 1903 DOWNLOADS: 1292 Publication date: 15 Jun 2019
ABSTRACT
Teacher motivation is an integral part of the success of the teaching and learning processes. The purpose of this study was to establish the factors underlying teacher recruitment, motivation and retention within a rural context. A case study design was employed as a methodology for the study. The collected data was analysed by establishing themes and emerging categories. The study established that teachers at rural schools were motivated by crucial work-related factors which were both intrinsic and extrinsic in nature. Employment opportunities, family background, leadership, rural environment and support services were some of the major factors motivating teacher to be recruited and retained with rural school teaching. The study recommended that school leaders should acquire a holistic understanding of the diverse factors motivating teachers, so that they can nurture these factors and motivate teachers appropriately. This will ensure that rural schools remains with motivated teaching personnel for improved performance.
KEYWORDS
Recruitment, Retention, Rural areas, Rural schools
CITATION (APA)
Shikalepo, E. E. (2019). Teacher Recruitment, Motivation and Retention at Rural Schools in Namibia. The European Educational Researcher, 2(2), 127-144. https://doi.org/10.31757/euer.224
REFERENCES
  1. Adedeji, S. O., & Olaniyan, O. (2011). Improving the conditions of teachers and teaching in rural schools across African countries. Addis Ababa: UNESCO.
  2. Agezo, K. C. (2010). Why teachers leave teaching: The case of pre-tertiary institutions in Ghana. International Journal of Education Reform, 19(1), 51-52.
  3. Alam, M. T., & Farid, S. (2011). Factors affecting teachers’ motivation. International. Journal of Business and Social Science, 2(1), 298-304.
  4. Anney, V. C. (2014). Ensuring the Quality of the Findings of Qualitative Research: Looking at Trustworthiness Criteria. Journal of Emerging Trends in Educational Research and Policy Studies, (JETERAPS), 5(2), 272-281.
  5. Armstrong, M. (2009). Armstrong’s handbook of human resource management practice. London: Kogan Page.
  6. Arnold, M. L., Newman, J. H., Gaddy, B. B., & Dean, C. B. (2005). A look at the condition of rural education research: Setting a difference for future research. Journal of Research in Rural Education, 20(6), 1-25.
  7. Arnon, S., & Reichel, N. (2007). Who is the idea teacher? Am i? Similarity and difference in perception of students of education regarding qualities of a good teacher and of their own qualities as teachers. Teachers and Teaching: Theory and Practice, 13(5), 441-464.
  8. Ary, D., Jacob, L. C., Sorensen, C., & Razavieh, A. (2010). Introduction to Research in Education. Belmont, CA: Wadsworth.
  9. Atieno, O. P. (2009). An analysis of the strengths and limitation of qualitative and quantitative research paradigms. Problems of education in the 21st century, 13, 13-18.
  10. Aziz, N. (2011). Retaining high quality teachers in rural primary schools in Malaysia. Harvard University: Harvard Graduate School of Education.
  11. Beutel, D., Adie, L., & Hudson, S. (2011). Promoting rural and remote teacher education in Australia through the over the Hill project. The International Journal of Learning, 18(2), 376-379.
  12. Carraher, R., Gibson, A., & Buckley, R. (2006). Compensation in the Baltic and the USA. Baltic Journal of Management, 1, 7-23.
  13. Chireshe, R., & Shumba, A. (2011). Teaching as a profession in Zimbabwe: Are teachers facing a motivation crisis? Journal of Social Sciences, 28(2), 113-118.
  14. Chiromo, A. S. (2009). Research methods and statistics: A students’ guide. Gweru: Midlands State University.
  15. Creswell, J. W. (2014). Educational Research: Planning, conducting and evaluating Quantitative and Qualitative research. California: Pearson Education Limited.
  16. Devine, D., Fahie, D., & McGillicuddy, D. (2013). What is ‘good’ teaching? Teacher beliefs and practices about their teaching. Irish Educational Studies, 32(1), 83-108.
  17. Dladla, N., & Moon, B. (2006). Why teachers matter: The challenge of teacher supply and teacher development in sub-Saharan Africa. Paper delivered on April 2006 at the American Educational Research Association annual conference, San Francisco.
  18. Dudwick, N., Kuehnast, K., Jones, V. N., & Woolcock, M. (2006). Analyzing social capital in context: A guide to using qualitative methods and data. Washington: World Bank Institute.
  19. Elfers, A. M., & Plecki, M. L. (2006). Examining teacher retention and mobility in small and rural districts in Washington State. University of Washington: College of Education.
  20. Griffin, O. K. (2010). A survey of Bahamican and Jamaican Teachers' Level of Motivation and Job Satisfaction. Journal of Invitational Theory and Practice, 16, 57-77.
  21. Guba, E. G. (1981). Criteria for assessing the trustworthiness of naturalistic inquiries. Educational Communication and Technology Journal, 29(2), 75-91.
  22. Hammer, P. C., Hughes, G., McClure, C., Reeves, C., & Salgado, D. (2005). Rural teacher recruitment and retention practices: A review of the research literature, national survey of rural superintendents, and case studies of programs in Virginia. Charleston: Edvantia.
  23. Hannum, W. H., Irvin, M. J., Banks, J. B., & Farmer, T. W. (2009). Distance education use in rural schools. Journal of Research in Rural Education, 24(3), 1-15.
  24. Hardre, P. L., & Sullivan, D. (2008). Classroom environments and student differences: How they contribute to student motivation in rural high schools. Learning and Individual Differences, 18, 471-485.
  25. Hardre, P. L. (2012). Standing in the Gap: Research that Informs Strategies for Motivating and Retaining Rural High School Students. Parrington: University of Oklahoma.
  26. Heeralal, P. J. H. (2014). Preparing pre-service teachers to teach in rural schools. Mediterranean Journal of social sciences, 5(20), 1795-1799.
  27. Howley, C. B., Theobald, P., & Howley, A. A. (2005). What rural education research is of most worth? A reply to Arnold, Newman, Gaddy, and Dean. Journal of Research in Rural Education, 20(18), 1-6.
  28. Jimerson, L. (2003). The competitive disadvantage: Teacher compensation in rural America (Policy Brief). Washington DC: Rural School and Community Trust.
  29. Johnson, B. R., & Onwuegbuzie, A. J. (2004). Mixed methods research: a research paradigm whose time has come. Educational Researcher, 33(7), 14-26.
  30. Kahn, V. J., & Best, J. W. (2006). Research in education (10th ed.). Boston: Pearson Education.
  31. Kavishe, K. (2012). Bush allowance for teachers to be revised. Economist. Retrieved from:http://www.economist.com.na/general-news/25-education/2232-bush-allowance-for-teachers-to-be-revised [Accessed on: 16 March 2015].
  32. Kayuni, H., & Tambulasi, R. (2007). Teacher turnover in Malawi’s Ministry of Education: Realities and challenges. International Education journal, 8, 89-99.
  33. Kulkarni, S., & Mitra, S. (2015). Access and Quality in Self Organized Learning Environments Formal Education: Quality Issues. Retrieved from: http://wikieducator.org/images/c/cb/Suneeta_Kulkarni.pdf [Accessed on: 07 November 2015].
  34. Leedy, P. D., & Omrod, J. E. (2005). Practical Research: Planning and Design (8th ed). New Jersey: Prentice Hall.
  35. Legotlo, M. W. (2014). Challenges and Issues facing the Education System in South Africa. Pretoria: Africa Institute of South Africa.
  36. Lock, G. (2008). Preparing Teachers for Rural Appointments: Lessons from Australia. The Rural Educator, 1(1), 24-30.
  37. Marwan, A., Sumintono, B., & Mislan, N. (2012). Revitalizing Rural Schools: A Challenge for Malaysia. Educational Issues, Research and Policies, 1, 172-188.
  38. McCormack, A., & Thomas, K. (2003). Is surviving enough? Induction experiences of beginning teachers within a New South Wales context. Asia-Pacific Journal of Teacher Education, 31(2), 124-138.
  39. Mhando, E. (2006). A note on teacher status in Tanzania. First meeting of the national coordinators of UNESCO’s Teaching Training Initiative for sub-Saharan Africa. Retrieved from: http://unesdoc.unesco.org/images/0014/001453/145390e.pdf [Accessed on: 08 May 2015].
  40. Miller, L. C. (2012). Working Paper: Understanding Rural Teacher Recruitment and the Role of Community Amenities. University of Virginia: Center on Education Policy and Workforce Competitiveness.
  41. Moon, B. (2007). Research analysis: Attracting, developing and retaining effective teachers: A global overview of current policies and practices. Retrieved from: http://www.ineesite.org/uploads/files/resources/Attracting,_developing_and_Keeping_Teachers1.pdf [Accessed on: 06 May 2015].
  42. Moriarty, J. (2011). Qualitative Methods: Overview. London: School for Social Care Research.
  43. Mulkeen, A., & Chen, D. (2008). Teachers for Rural Schools: Experiences in Lesotho, Malawi, Mozambique, Tanzania, and Uganda. Herndon: World Bank Publications.
  44. Naomi, W. K., Ronald, C., Isaac, E. O. O., & Ranjith, R. S. (2012). Analysis of Factors that Affect Teachers’ Motivation in Secondary Schools: A Case of Nakuru Municipality, Rift Valley Province-Kenya. International Journal of Scientific Research, 1(5), 43-52.
  45. Ncube, A. C. (2013). Barriers to learner achievement in rural secondary schools in developing countries: The case of rural Zimbabwe. Journal of Emerging Trends in Educational Research and Policy Studies (JETERAPS), 5(1), 1-5.
  46. Owusu-Acheampong, E., & Williams, A. A. (2015). Dearth of teachers in rural basic schools: Implications on human resource development in the Amenfi West District, Ghana. British Journal of Education, 3(1), 32-43.
  47. Robert, V., Bullough, R. T., & Hall-Kenyon, K. M. (2012). On Teacher Hope, Sense of Calling, and Commitment to Teaching. Teacher Education Quarterly. 7-27. Retrieved from http://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/EJ989781.pdf [Accessed on: 07 July 2015].
  48. Sahin, A., & Cokadar, H. (2009). Change, stability and context: Prospective teachers' perceptions. H.U. Journal of Education, 36, 213-224.
  49. Salifu, I., & Agbenyega, J. S. (2013). Viewing teacher motivation in the Ghana Education Service through a postcolonial lens. Current Issues in Education, 16(3), 1-14.
  50. Simons, H. (2009). Case Study Research in Practice. London: SAGE Publications Ltd.
  51. Steyn, G. M. (2002). A theoretical analysis of educator motivation and morale. Educare, 31(1), 82-101.
  52. Urwick, J., Mapuru, P., & Nkoboti, M. (2005). Teacher Motivation and Incentives in Lesotho. Maseru: Lesotho College of Education.
  53. Yauch, C.A., & Steudel, H. J. (2003). Complementary use of qualitative and quantitative cultural assessment methods. Organizational research methods, 6(4), 465-481.
  54. Yin, R.K. (2009). Case Study Research: Design and Methods. London: Sage.
LICENSE
Creative Commons License