Causes of teacher attrition from the perspective of selected teachers who left the profession

Abstract

A qualitative study was conducted on the causes of teacher attrition from urban schools in the Gauteng and Western Cape provinces of South Africa. Besides identifying the causes of attrition, the study intended to determine what needs to be changed to entice teachers who have left the profession to return. The rationale of the study was founded on the teacher shortage in South Africa and the alarming rate of teacher attrition from the profession, coupled with the growing number of learners needing education. Albert Bandura’s Self-Efficacy Theory, with a consideration of Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs, formed the conceptual framework of the research. Fourteen participants, comprising seven teachers who have left the profession from each province, were interviewed using semi-structured interviews to inform the findings. From the data analysis, five factors were identified as the main causes of attrition. Recommendations on what should be done to encourage a return to the profession were based on the identified causes of teacher attrition and input from the participants.

Kwenziwe ucwaningo lwe-qualitative ngezimbangela zokuncipha kothisha ezikoleni zaseGauteng kanye naseNtshonalanga Kapa eNingizimu Afrika. Nangaphandle kokubheka izimbangela zokuncipha kothisha, ucwaningo belunenhloso yokubheka izinguquko ezidingekayo ukuhuha othisha abashiye iprofeshini ukubuyela ezikoleni. Isizathu socwaningo bekuwukusweleka kothisha eNingizimu Afrika kanye nezinga eliphezulu lokuncipha kwabo ezikoleni okuhambisana nenani elikhulayo labafundi abadinga imfundo. Ithiyori ka-Albert Bandura ye-self-efficacy kanye ne-Maslow's hierarcy of needs zibe wuhlaka lomqondo wocwaningo. Kwenziwa ama-interview nababambiqhaza abayishumi nane, abebequka othisha abayisikhombisa asebeshiye iprofeshini kwiprovinsi ngayinye ebalulwe ngenhla, ngokusebenzisa ama-semistructured interview ukuthola imiphumela. Ngokulandela ulwazi oluhlaziyiwe, kuphawulwe izinto ezinhlanu njengezimbangela ezinkulu zokuncipha kothisha. Kwenziwe izincomo ngokuthi yini okumele kwenziwe ukukhuthaza othisha ukubuyela kwiprofeshini ngokulandela izimbangela zokuncipha kothisha kanye nemibono evela kulabo ababambe iqhaza.

Daar is ’n kwalitatiewe studie uitgevoer oor die oorsake van natuurlike poste-afname van onderwysers in stedelike skole in die provinsies van Gauteng en die Wes-Kaap in Suid-Afrika. Buiten om die oorsake van natuurlike poste-afname te identifiseer, was die doel van die studie om te bepaal watter veranderinge nodig is om onderwysers wat die beroep verlaat het, oor te haal om terug te keer. Die beweegrede vir die studie was die tekort aan onderwysers in Suid-Afrika en die skrikwekkende tempo van die natuurlike poste-afname van onderwysers, tesame met die toenemende aantal leerders wat onderrig benodig. Albert Bandura se selfdoeltreffendheidsteorie en Maslow se hiërargie van behoeftes het die konseptuele raamwerk van die navorsing gevorm. Daar is onderhoude gevoer met ’n totaal van 14 deelnemers, bestaande uit sewe onderwysers wat die beroep verlaat het in elkeen van die bogenoemde provinsies. Halfgestruktureerde onderhoude is gebruik om die bevindings mee te deel. Uit die dataontleding is daar vyf faktore geïdentifiseer as die hoofoorsake van natuurlike poste-afname. Aanbevelings oor wat gedoen kan word om ’n terugkeer na die beroep aan te moedig is gebaseer op die geïdentifiseerde oorsake van natuurlike poste-afname en insette van die deelnemers.