Investigation into factors that impact on teacher attrition rates in Pakistani schools

Bukhari, Aneela Mahmood (2023). Investigation into factors that impact on teacher attrition rates in Pakistani schools. University of Birmingham. Ph.D.

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Abstract

This thesis investigates teacher attrition and retention in the private school sector in Pakistan. Teacher retention is a significant issue within the education sector in Pakistan, and although some measures have been put in place in an attempt to address this, the rate of attrition remains significantly higher than the international average. As such, this research was conducted in order to identify the reasons that affect teacher attrition and retention in Pakistan, including examining similarities and differences in attitudes between Pakistani teachers who have been in the profession for five years or less, with further exploration as to whether there are cultural or traditional motives governing their decision to leave. By examining the influences on teacher attrition in this specific context, this research may provide teachers, and the private school sector leadership teams, with likely reasons for attrition, and can ultimately provide suggestions, recommendations, and potential solutions to the significant issue of teacher attrition in Pakistan.

Although there has been a range of research and statistical analysis conducted into teacher retention and attrition, none of this has been located within the Asian sub-continent identifying how culture and tradition have impacted on teacher retention and attrition. The majority of existing research has concentrated on quantifying national attrition rates, but the aim of this research was to understand why attrition occurred and, more specifically, what factors impacted on attrition outcomes, and how this knowledge could be used to inform educational leadership and policy. This research seeks to reveal the reasons that inform teachers’ decisions to leave the profession; identifying and analysing patterns and trends of teacher attrition and retention; and provides intervention strategies and recommendations for modifications to be made to teacher training and professional development that could potentially make a difference to retention.

The two main research methods used in the study included survey questionnaires and semi-structured interviews, utilising key interview questions with teachers who had worked in the private school sector across Pakistan, and left in the academic year 2018-2019. 1500 electronic questionnaires were sent out to teachers, to which 895 responses were received, and 599 of those met the criteria to be part of the research; namely, teachers who had left within 5 years of service. Thirty questionnaire respondents then participated in the interview process. The wealth of data collected through the survey questionnaire, followed by in-depth interviews, provided the opportunity to identify and investigate factors that were causing teachers to leave the teaching profession.

The collection of data, and the subsequent analysis, identified that low salary, lack of management support, working conditions, and the influence of the school leadership team had a significant influence on teachers within the private school system, who had left teaching and decided to pursue employment in other fields.

It was apparent, through the analysis of the data, that teachers’ reasons for leaving or staying was multifaceted, with an added complexity of cultural and traditional demands which had an influence on their decisions. This research highlights the key factors in teacher attrition in Pakistan include the personal characteristics of teachers, including their backgrounds and qualifications to perform their jobs; and the workplace itself, including the organisational characteristics of their working environments and the resources available to perform their jobs. These findings supplement and deepen our understanding of teacher attrition in this context, particularly given the typical reasons cited for teacher attrition in general in the available research to date tends to be from other, more developed countries, and is not always applicable within Pakistan’s context.

As a teacher trainer, advisor and consultant working within the private school sector in Pakistan, I wanted to provide research-based recommendations that would seek to aid teacher retention and lower the attrition rates of early career teachers within the context in which I work. The aspiration was that the research findings could be used to support teachers, whether newly qualified or experienced, to remain in the profession, and that with targeted support, guidance, and consideration, they would be more likely to remain in teaching for a longer term. As such, the research findings and practical and policy recommendations I make within my thesis may lead to potential changes and improvements in education policies, school administration, teacher training programmes and professional development within the private school systems in Pakistan with a view to supporting teachers’ job satisfaction and retention.

Type of Work:

Thesis (Doctorates > Ph.D.)

Award Type:

Doctorates > Ph.D.

Supervisor(s):