Post-COVID-19 male teachers’ attrition in private schools: Whose fault?

Abstract

In recent times, private schools in Nigeria have witnessed a mass exodus of male teachers. This study, therefore, examined the causes, impacts and roles of management in teachers' attrition in private schools after COVID-19. The study adopted a qualitative research design of phenomenological type. Snowball and purposive sampling techniques were used to sample 11 male teachers working in private schools before the sudden appearance of the COVID-19 pandemic. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with eleven male teachers, transcribed, coded, and analysed using QSR NVivo software, version 1.7.1. The study found, among other things, that a lack of concern for teachers' welfare during the COVID-19 pandemic, poor salaries, and unpleasant school policies contributed to many male teachers' attrition in private schools. The study also found a negative impact of male teachers' attrition on the education sector. The researchers made recommendations based on the finding that Private school owners should be empathetic and always put teachers in their shoes. This could be achieved by institutionalising teachers’ welfare purses. There should be a welfare committee to make this functional.

Keywords

• Teacher attrition
• Private schools
• Post-COVID-19
• Secondary schools
• School policy