The persistent situation of teacher turnover in rural communities: The case of public primary school teachers in rural Liberia

Abstract

This study aimed to assess factors that contribute to teacher turnover in rural communities across Liberia and identify practices that can be recommended to improve retention for teachers in rural communities. A qualitative case study design was employed to determine teacher turnover rates in public primary schools in Gbarpolu County between 2018 and 2022, and to explore related factors and potential remedies of teacher turnover. Twelve district education officers and primary school principals selected through purposeful multiple variation sampling strategies participated in two focus group discussions, and nine former and active teachers were interviewed. Data were analysed in an analytic cycle using a data spiral approach. The findings suggest that factors that contribute to public primary school teacher turnover are personal, infrastructural, systematic governmental, and cultural, while factors enhancing teacher retention are community support, ownership of schools, and local recruitment of teachers. Finally, recommendations were proposed to improve the retention of teachers in rural schools by employing a bottom-up approach that addresses the underlying contributors to turnover, rather than conventional methods of supplying more teachers.