Relationship between leadership practices and labour turnover among private schools in Rongai Sub-County, Nakuru-Kenya

Abstract

The study sought to determine the relationship between leadership practices and labor turnover in private primary schools in Kenya with a specific focus on Rongai Sub-County in Nakuru County, Kenya. The theoretical framework of this study was derived from the Two-Factor Theory and Organization Support Theory. The study used a descriptive survey design and targeted a population of 680 employees of 34 private primary schools in the study area. A sample of 204 employees was picked using the simple random sampling method. Questionnaires were used to collect quantitative data from teachers while interview guides were used to collect qualitative data from headteachers and their deputies. Descriptive statistics were computed for each study variable while the Pearson correlation method was used to test the effect of the leadership practices on labor turnover. Qualitative data collected through the interviews were analyzed using the thematic content analysis technique. Results revealed that there is a high labor turnover in the private primary schools in Rongai with a rating of 71.2%. Results also showed that there were less than optimal leadership practices in schools with a rating of 50.8%. Labor turnover in the schools was negatively and significantly associated with leadership practices (r=-.523, p=.000). The study recommends that private primary schools ensure that teachers are actively involved in making key decisions and management of school activities in order to reduce labor turnover.