Managerial strategies for tutor retention in Morogoro public teachers’ training colleges, Tanzania
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Date
2015
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Publisher
University of Dar es Salaam
Abstract
This study investigated the managerial strategies employed by the government and college management to encourage the retention of tutors in public teachers’ colleges (PTCs). It was conducted in Kilosa district of Morogoro region, Tanzania. The study’s specific objectives were to: explore factors that encourage tutors to remain in PTCs; identify the managerial strategies employed to retain tutors in PTCs; determine the effectiveness of managerial strategies employed to retain tutors in PTCs; and examine the challenges facing tutors in PTCs. The literature shows that teacher turnover is a common problem all over the world including Tanzania, the Ministry of Education and Vocational Training (MoEVT) implemented different strategies to address the problem. However turnover problem persisted. The study employed qualitative approach and specifically a multiple case study design. Purposive, stratified and random sampling were used to selected a sample of 33 respondents made up of two college principals, two vice-principals, two academic deans, two deans, one registrar and 24 tutors. Data were collected using interviews, focus group discussions, observations and documentary review. The data were processed through using the 1994 Miles and Hurberman model of qualitative data processing. Basically, the data analysis strategy that was employed is qualitative content analysis. The strategy focused on the meaning of the data, whereby the findings were categorised in themes depending on the research questions and topics that guided the study. The study findings show that both extrinsic and intrinsic factors encourage tutor retention in PTCs. Extrinsic factors include: the provision of salary on time, career development opportunities, job security, attractive working conditions, provision of incentives and fringe benefits. Intrinsic factors were collegial relationships, opportunity to learn more, social acceptance and prestige, nature of the work and workload. Other factors that fostered tutor retention were location of the college, lack of alternative job and fear to take risk. The management strategies employed to retain tutors in PTCs were both governmental and college level strategies. Governmental strategies were provision of contracts, presence of logistics and bureaucracies, provision of loan, salary increment, allowing tutors to go for further studies and payment of tuition fees, promotion and payment of arrears. The college level strategies were good leadership and delegation of power, provision of meals, accommodation, guidance and counselling. Other incentives depended on the ability of the college such as provision of social support. On the whole, turnover rate in the PTCs under review were very small, implying the retention strategies were working. The challenges that tutors face in PTCs include poor remuneration package and poor involvement of tutors in curriculum change. The possible solutions to the challenges include re-introduction of teaching allowance, improvement of remuneration package and involvement of tutors in curriculum change. On the basis of these findings, the study recommends that the government should be effective and efficient in rewarding tutors to enhance tutors retention. The government and college management should work closely with NGOs and other educational stakeholders to support those effective strategies for retaining tutors. In addition, the government should work closely with other educational stakeholders including tutors to tap their constructive ideas as well as to minimise educational problems in PTCs.
Description
Available in print form, East Africana Collection, Dr. Wilbert Chagula Library, Class mark (THS EAF LB2833.4.T34J32 )
Keywords
Teachers turnover, Morogoro public teachers, Teachers Colleges, Morogoro region, Tanzania
Citation
Jackson, A. (2015) Managerial strategies for tutor retention in Morogoro public teachers’ training colleges, Tanzania, Masters’ dissertation, University of Dar es Salaam, Dar es Salaam