RETENTION OF SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL FINANCIAL ACCOUNTING TEACHERS IN GHANA: A QUALITATIVE ELEMENTAL ANALYSIS

Abstract

Teacher recruitment, motivation and retention are key policy issues that the educational sector across the globe must give prior attention to if quality improvements are to be sustained. Teacher motivation and retention in the education sector is a matter of concern to all Ghanaians and as such the study sought to explore the level to which accounting teachers were motivated to stay committed to their profession in the Upper West Region of Ghana. The study employed purposive sampling technique to obtain data from 35 senior high school accounting teachers in the Upper West Region of Ghana. Open-ended questionnaire was the instrument used for data collection. Thematic content analysis was used in presenting the results. The study revealed that senior high school accounting teachers were not motivated with the implementation of study leave policy, non-recognition of higher qualification for their promotion in Ghana Education Service, autocratic decision making and the inadequate salary. It was therefore recommended that Ghana Education Service and the teacher unions should champion the course of accounting teachers to demand for improved conditions of service in relation to salary, study leave policy, recognition of higher qualifications (Masters, Ph.Ds) to avoid accounting teacher low retention.