Statistical Characterization of Root Causes of Teacher Turnover in Public Secondary Schools in Lufwanyama District

Teacher attrition is a universal challenge and has a negative impact on global policies. A growing body of research around the world shows that most countries are experiencing a substantial decline in meeting their teacher demand. Therefore, the study sought to investigate factors that causes teacher turnover in rural public secondary schools in Lufwanyama district, Zambia. The population of the study was made up of secondary school teachers, education officers and head teachers in district respectively. The sample population was made up of 222 respondents. The Simple random sampling technique was used. Questionnaire and an interview guide were used as instruments for data collection. Further, a multiple regression model was fitted to determine teachers' demographic variables which were significantly associated with teacher turnover. Data was analyzed using SPSS 20. The findings revealed that poor road network, poor communication network system, poor and difficult working conditions, political interference, negative attitude towards rural district, marriage bonds and lack of accommodation were highlighted as the key factors of teacher turnover in Lufwanyama district. It was also revealed that teachers' demographic variables such as marital status and level of education significantly predicted their intentions to seek a transfer to other districts or quit the service. The study recommends that Government should allocate more resources to rural schools in order to improve the working conditions of teachers.