Influence of Job Motivation on Basic School Teacher Retention in the Somanya Circuit of Eastern Region in Ghana Education Service

E Owusu-Acheaw,D Bakker-Edoh

doi:10.47127/ijtmr.v5i3.98

Abstract

The study set out to examine the influence of motivation on teacher job performance and on teacher retention in the Somanya Circuit of the Ghana Education Service. Generally, teachers in Ghana tend to leave the teaching profession despite various interventions such as single salary spine and best teacher award scheme put in place. Teachers in the Somanya Circuit did not stay and work for more than three years but there is no documented reason why. Therefore the study was done to find out why and whether they were not motivated enough. The researcher adopted the descriptive survey design. A sample of 170 teachers selected by stratified random sampling was used. Questionnaires was the maininstrument used and the data collected were analysed with the statistical tool SPSS. The findings of the study revealed that basic school teachers in public school in the Somanya circuit were highly motivated, but they rated their mode of promotion and salary levels to be rather low. The results also revealed that respondents generally disagreed that thefactors of motivation like salary and monetary compensation, leave benefits, good retirement plan, promotion, job security, opportunities for extra income, health benefits, accommodation, free time during holidays and more time to attend to other issues do influence their level of motivation. It was further revealed that some basic school teachers havebeen retained in the Somanya circuit not necessarily based on the motivation avenues presented to them but on other factors Finally, it was recommended that Yilo Krobo Municipal Directorate of the Ghana Education Service should continue to motivate teachers by providing adequate supervision, recognition and appreciation to motivate basic schoolteachers in the Circuit. Citation: E, Owusu-Acheaw, and D., Bakker-Edoh. Influence of Job Motivation on Basic School Teacher Retention in theSomanya Circuit of Eastern Region in Ghana Education Service, 2020; 5(3): 12-36. Received: April 8, 2020Accepted: September 30, 2020

Highlights

Teacher attrition is a global issue that requires a critical look from all partners of education
Research Question One: This research question sought to identify the level of motivation of basic school teachers in public schools in the Somanya circuit of the Ghana Education Service (GES)
It can be concluded that supervision, recognition and appreciation, participation in school decision-making, and salary levels, lowly motivated teachers in public basic schools in the Somanya Circuit of the Ghana Education Service

Summary

Introduction

Teacher attrition is a global issue that requires a critical look from all partners of education. Teachers in most developing countries are ‘semi-professionals’ mainly because of their relatively limited levels of education and training compared to professional occupations such as doctors, engineers and lawyers (Bennell, 2004). Teachers often lack a strong, longterm commitment to teaching as a vocation. Teachers are paid considerably less than the mainstream professions. It is widely argued that the status of teachers in most countries, both developed and developing, has declined appreciably during recent decades (Bennell, 2004). Adu (2005) indicated that teachers are the bedrock for all human learning, and they are the pivot around which citizens are made to realise their full potential in serving their society and nation as well

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