TEACHERS’ MOTIVATION TOWARDS TEACHING AND THEIR INTENTION TO STAY IN THE PROFESSION IN SECONDARY SCHOOLS OF ARSI ZONE, OROMIA REGIONAL STATE

Abstract

Teachers’ motivation is very much essential for quality of education Therefore; this study was designed to examine factors affecting teachers’ motivation towards teaching and their intention to stay in the profession in secondary schools of Arsi zone. Descriptive survey research method with both qualitative and quantitative research methodology was employed. 7 secondary Schools in Arsi zone constituted the population of the study. 106 teachers, 7 principals, 8 vice principals, and 7 supervisors were selected as a sample of the study. The Zone has been stratified into four clusters of secondary schools by stratified random sampling techniques, based on the geographical location, and all clusters tried to be included in the study to establish the sampling size of the study, because four clusters were manageable and from each strata of the Zone two schools were selected by stratified random sampling techniques. From each school selected, 30% of teachers’ were selected by Stratified random sampling technique, based up on their gender, while principal, vice-principal, and supervisors were selected available. The researcher used questionnaire, interview, document analysis, and FGD to collect valid information from respondents. Quantitative data were analyzed using descriptive statistics such as frequencies, percentages and chi-square, while qualitative data were analyzed using thematic approach. Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) Version 20 software was used to analyze the quantitative data accordingly. The study found that 90(84.9%) of the respondents indicated that they were not motivated towards teaching profession, while only 7(6.5%) indicated that their motivation were medium. the study found the following: inadequate teachers’ salary, absences of non-salaries incentives, narrow chances and opportunities for further education, poor advancement and promotion systems, extra workloads, and un-conducive environment were the factors that affect negatively teachers’ motivations towards teaching and their intention to stay in the teaching profession. The government shall be at the front line in motivating teachers towards teaching and developing their intentions to stay in the profession