Recruitment and retention of teachers in basic schools in the Ahanta West district of Ghana

Abstract

This study was concerned with recruitment and retaining of teachers in the Ahanta West District of the Western Region of Ghana. The highlights were on the quantity, quality, factors that attract and those that do not attract teachers and what could be done to retain teachers in the long run. The descriptive survey was the research design that was used. Three questionnaires were the instruments employed for data collection. A sample of 239 respondents was chosen out of the population that comprised classroom teachers, circuit supervisors, basic school heads and district education officials. After data administration, 225 respondents returned the questionnaires collected given a return rate of 94.4%. The study revealed that indigenous teachers tend to be attracted to, and stay in the district longer than the non-indigenous ones. With the quantity and quality of teachers, the numbers in respect of pupil-teacher ratio is appreciable and it stood at 37: 1 as against the norm of 35: 1. There was a little problem with quality of teachers, because the non-professional ones in the district form about 30% of the teacher population. Two major factors that made teachers to stay for long periods of time in the district were that most teachers were indigenes of the district and the low cost of living in the district. Finally, teachers suggested that there should be improved conditions of service for them. Based on the findings, some recommendations were made among which are that, more professional teachers should be posted or transferred to the district. Besides, more indigenous teachers should be sponsored into the teacher training colleges.