Exploring the Predictors of Teacher Retention among Beginning Teachers in Ethiopia

Oct 15, 2026

Uploaded by acoobca

A global challenge persists in retaining qualified beginning teachers across school systems, with many leaving the profession within the first 10 years of entry. Evidence is limited in African contexts compared with high-income countries’ policy discussions. This study uses Mason and Matas’ four-capital teacher retention model—structural, social, psychological, and human capital—as a guiding framework to identify retention predictors in Ethiopia through survey data, including 204 participants from elite teacher training.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryResearch & Report

FormatPDF

Pages23

Reading Time58 min

AccessFree to download

Abstract

Conceptual framework and data collection

Analysis methods and findings

Implications

| education policy analysis archives
A peer-reviewed, independent, open access, multilingual journal |
Arizona State University | | --- | --- | | Volume 30 Number 108 July 26 , 2022 ISSN 1068-2341 | | Exploring the Predictors of Teacher Retention among Beginning Teachers in Ethiopia William Nketsia Western Sydney University Australia Ali Sani Side Dilla University Ethiopia Maxwell Peprah Opoku United Arab Emirates University United Arab Emirates & Fekede Tuli Gemeda Kotebe Metropolitan University Ethiopia Citation: Nketsia, W., Side, A. S., Opoku, M. P., & Gemeda, F. T. (2022) . Exploring the predictors of teacher retention among beginning teachers in Ethiopia. Education Policy Analysis Archives, 30(108). [https://doi.org/10.14507/epaa.30.7236](https://doi.org/10.14507/epaa.30.7236) Abstract: There is a global challenge to retain qualified beginning teachers across the school system. In the first 10 years of entering the profession, a large number of beginning teachers exit altogether. While high-income countries have been designing policies and discussing effective ways to retain beginning teachers, the African share of such deliberation is scanty. Using Mason and Matas’ (2015) four-capital teacher retention model (structural, social, psychological and human capital) as a conceptual framework, we studied the predictors of retention of beginning teachers in Ethiopia. A questionnaire designed on the basis of the tenets of the conceptual framework was used for the data collection. In total, 204 beginning teachers who had graduated from elite teacher training institutions were recruited for this study. The data were analysed using t-tests, analysis of variance and structural equation modelling to estimate the strengths of the relationships and direct logistical and linear regressions. The results show a positive relationship between the four indicators and the demographic variables, such as gender, pre-service training, access to professional development, level of teaching and living with family in the community, which provided additional insight into teacher retention. We discuss the need for a multifaceted approach to retaining beginning teachers in Ethiopia as well as other implications. Keywords: beginning teachers; retention; teacher education; tracer design; Ethiopia Explorando los predictores de la retención de docentes entre los docentes principiantesen Etiopía Resumen: Existe un desafío global para retener a los maestros principiantes calificados en todo el sistema escolar. En los primeros 10 años de ingreso a la profesión, una gran cantidad de maestros principiantes la abandonan por completo. Si bien los países de altos ingresos han estado diseñando políticas y discutiendo formas efectivas de retener a los maestros principiantes, la parte africana de tal deliberación es escasa. Usando el modelo de retención de docentes de cuatro capitales de Mason y Matas (2015) (capital estructural, social, psicológico y humano) como marco conceptual, estudiamos los predictores de la retención de docentes principiantes en Etiopía. Para la recolección de datos se utilizó el cuestionario diseñado en base a los postulados del marco conceptual. En total, 204 maestros principiantes que se habían graduado de instituciones de formación docente de élite fueron reclutados para este estudio. Los datos seanalizaron mediante pruebas t, análisis de varianza y modelos de ecuaciones estructurales para estimar las fortalezas de las relaciones y regresiones lineales y logísticas directas. Los resultadosmuestran una relación positiva entre los cuatro indicadores y las variables demográficas, como el género, la formación previa al servicio, el acceso al desarrollo profesional, el nivel de enseñanza y la convivencia con la familia en la comunidad, lo que proporcionó información adicional sobre la retención de docentes. Discutimos la necesidad de un enfoque multifacético para retener a los maestros principiant

FAQs

Why is teacher retention among beginning teachers a critical issue?

Many qualified beginning teachers leave the profession within the first 10 years of entry, creating a systemic challenge for schools to retain teacher capacity.

Which framework guides the study on teacher retention in Ethiopia?

The study applies Mason and Matas’ four-capital teacher retention model: structural, social, psychological, and human capital.

What methods were used to analyze the survey data?

Data analysis used t-tests, analysis of variance, and structural equation modeling, along with direct logistical and linear regression to estimate relationships.

Oct 15, 2026

Uploaded by acoobca