A projection of primary schools’ teacher recruitment and demand by the year 2015 in Nandi Central District, Kenya

Abstract

This paper is based on a study that sought to establish the number of primary schools’ teachers recruited and trends of teacher wastage over the five years between 2005 and 2009 in order to predict the teachers that will be required by the year 2015 in Nandi Central District in Rift Valley Province, Kenya. The study employed a descriptive research design. Non-probabilistic, in particular purposive sampling, technique was employed in choosing of the sample size for the study. The sample for the study comprised one Education officer in-charge of District statistics and one Teachers Service Commission Unit representative at the District Education Office. One staff in the records section at the Central Bureau of Statistics office in the District also participated in the study. The study was underpinned by the Manpower Requirement Approach theory based on an assessment of manpower needs both quantitative and qualitative, to meet economic, social and political goals. Data for the study was collected by use of; questionnaires, interview schedule, and document analysis. Questionnaire and interview schedule were used to obtain information on teachers, pupils and primary schools from the District Education Offices. The findings indicated that there was a shortage of teachers in the district because the TSC had not deployed enough teachers to all schools equitably according to the demand, in the district. A number of teachers were also moving out of the profession for different reasons such as low remuneration, early retirement, availability of ‘greener pastures’, deaths, dismissal and sicknesses. From the findings of this study it was recommended that the Teachers Service Commission should provide a solution to the anticipated shortage of teachers by employing more teachers and distributing them to primary schools. The study contributes knowledge that will help educational planners and policy makers formulate strategies that will enable teacher training institutions train teachers according to the anticipated demand by 2015.