A Study to Suggest a Strategy for Retaining Teachers of Technical and Vocational Education in Katsina State, Nigeria

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to identify the strategies for retaining Technical Teachers of Technical and Vocational Educational Institutions in Katsina State. The study examined among others: the causes of technical teachers leaving the teaching profession to other jobs and strategies to be adopted for retaining highly qualified, experienced technical teachers in the teaching profession. The study also examined the strategies to be adopted to retain technical teachers in Katsina State’s Technical and Vocational Education Institutions. Three research questions were formulated to guide the study. A 41 items survey questionnaire was developed and used to elicit responses from technical education administrators, technical education principals/vice principals and technical teachers in technical and vocational education institutions who constituted sample. The data was analyzed using weighted averages. The findings revealed that some of the causes of technical teachers leaving the teaching profession for other jobs as follow: (1) lack of appreciation by the Government for job well done. (2) Better condition of service in the private sectors and (3) Lack of equipment and working tools for projects in technical and vocational education institutions. The findings also revealed some of the strategies to be adopted to retain technical teachers in the teaching profession: (1) Technical teachers should earn the same as their counterpart with the same qualifications in industry. (2) Provide technical teachers’ allowance (3) Provide working tools (hands, measuring and marking out tools). Based on the findings: the researcher recommended that: (1) Strategies for retaining technical teachers identified in this study should be incorporated into the retention of technical teachers exercise by the various technical education administrators of Katsina State (2) Katsina State Government should through its ministry and school boards set her machinery for implementing the findings of this study. (3) Both the state and local government of Katsina State should address with seriousness the problems of non-availability and/or the existence of ill-equipped workshops and lack of electricity supply to the Schools.