Joash Okello Aloo, Enose M.W. Simatwa1, Ruth A. NyangÃÆâÃâââ¬Ãâââ¢ori
The government of Kenya introduced school based teacher recruitment policy in public secondary schools in the year 2001. This was a departure from the former supply-driven teacher recruitment program, which had been in force since the inception of Teachers Service Commission in 1967.The school based teacher recruitment system was intended to enhance teacher retention, equity in teacher distribution and efficiency in teacher recruitment practices in public secondary schools. However, the school based teacher recruitment policy has faced incessant challenges in public secondary schools in Nyando District since its inception ten years ago. Some of the challenges include poor distribution and retention of teachers in schools with allegations that the exercise is marred by irregularities and local intrigues, thus affecting efficiency of the recruitment exercise. The purpose of the study was to investigate into the implementation of school based teacher recruitment policy in public secondary schools in Nyando District. Discrepancy model was adapted to guide the study. A descriptive survey research design was used in the study. The study population consisted of 49 head teachers of public secondary schools and the Provincial Director of Education (Nyanza province). Stratified random sampling technique was used to sample 26 head teachers from 39 gazetted hardship schools and 5 head teachers from 10 non-hardship schools and thus a sample size of 31 head teachers was used in this study. Saturated sampling technique was used to select one Provincial Director of Education. Questionnaires and document analysis schedules were used to collect data from both Provincial Director of Education and head teachers; in addition in-depth interview was used to collect more information from the Provincial Director of Education. Validity and reliability of the instruments was determined before use. Quantitative data was analysed by use descriptive statistics in form of counts, frequencies and percentages. Qualitative data was analysed for content as themes and sub-themes emerged. The study established that there was disparity in distribution of subject teachers with some being evenly distributed and others being unevenly distributed contrary to the aim of the policy. However, distribution of teachers across schools was found to have improved. The study revealed that the recruitment practice was fairly efficient. The study revealed that teacher retention had slightly improved. The study concluded that the policy had not fully achieved its intended objectives and recommended that the policy be reviewed from time to time to enable it to address the emerging issues. The findings of this study will help the policy makers at Ministry of Education to develop recruitment framework that is effective and efficient.
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