Relationship between Teacher Turnover and Students’ Academic Performance at Uganda Certificate of Education Level in Bugangaizi County West, Kakumiro District, Uganda

Abstract

Teacher turnover could have a negative effect on students’ academic achievement, and teaching workload. The aim of this paper was to investigate the relationship between teacher turnover and students’ academic achievement in selected secondary schools in Bugangaizi County West, Kakumiro District, Uganda. The target population was 19 secondary school head teachers while 14 head teachers were used as the sample size. Data was collected using document analysis and interview guide. The instruments were tested to see if the questions were relevant, clear and unambiguous. Research experts who had content in the area under investigation were consulted and their comments used to improve the questions in the interview guide as a way of ensuring face validity. For quantitative data obtained, they were first edited for completeness, coded and entered into the Statistical Package for Social Scientists (SPSS) version 20.1. The data was tabulated to generate descriptive statistics in addition, Pearson Correlation analysis was used to test the relationship between independent and dependent variables. Qualitative data was organized, interpreted, patterns in the data identified, data patterns related to research themes. Some important prepositions from the participants was quoted verbatim in the appropriate sections of the discussion. The data was finally used as a basis for informed and verifiable conclusions. The paper found out that there was a significant negative correlation between teacher turnover and students’ performance (r = -.729 ; p = .007). The paper concluded that high teacher turnover affects students’ academic performance negative. The paper recommended that Ministry of Education and Sports in Uganda should put in place a system that captures the statistics of teacher turnover and make right decision through replacements. Keywords: Relationship; Teachers; Turnover; Academic Performance DOI: 10.7176/JEP/13-33-10 Publication date: November 30 th 2022