Professional Development Programs and Teachers’ Attrition in Selected Government-Aided Secondary Schools in Mukono District, Uganda

The study examined the relationship between professional development programs and teachers’ attrition in selected government-aided secondary schools in Mukono district, Uganda. The study was directed with three specific study objectives; i) To examine the relationship between mentoring programs and teachers’ attrition, ii) To examine the relationship between career advancement opportunities and teachers’ attrition, and iii) To examine the relationship between evaluation & feedback mechanism and teachers’ attrition in selected government-aided secondary schools in Mukono district. The study considered a correlational research design combined with both quantitative and qualitative methods. A sample size of 60 respondents was taken into consideration comprising of school administrators and teachers from 3 selected government-aided secondary schools in Mukono district. Descriptive analysis and correlation analysis were utilized to give answers to the study phenomenon. The study exposed that there is a statistically strong negative and significant relationship between mentoring programs and teachers’ attrition in selected government-aided secondary schools in Mukono district. The study also exposed that there is a statistically strong negative and significant relationship between career advancement opportunities and teachers’ attrition in selected government-aided secondary schools in Mukono district. Further, the study exposed that there is a statistically strong negative and significant relationship between evaluation & feedback mechanism and teachers’ attrition in selected government-aided secondary schools in Mukono district. Therefore, the study concludes that professional development programs such as mentoring programs, career advancement opportunities, and evaluation & feedback mechanism have a statistically significant association with teachers’ attrition in that an increase in the different professional development programs resultantly lead to an enhancement in teachers’ attrition in selected government-aided secondary schools in Mukono district. The study recommends that secondary schools’ administrators should develop well-defined mentoring frameworks with clear objectives, timelines, and expectations, as well as pair experienced and high-performing teachers with new or struggling teachers to provide consistent guidance that may influence a reduction in teachers’ attrition in government-aided secondary schools in Mukono district.