Relationship Between Teachers’ Workload and Teachers’ Absenteeism in Public Secondary Schools in Kinango Sub-County, Kwale County, Kenya

Abstract

The Teacher Service Commission has recognized absenteeism among teachers as a prevalent issue encountered in cases of duty abandonment and other forms of indiscipline. This study aimed to investigate the correlation between teachers' workload and their absenteeism in public secondary schools located in Kinango Sub-County, Kwale County. The objectives was to determine the relationship between teachers' workload and teachers’ absenteeism. The research was guided by Fredrick Herzberg's two-factor theory. A mixed methods research design was employed, with a sample size comprising 162 secondary school teachers, 8 school principals in the 24 schools and this determined using Krejcie and Morgan 1970 table. Multi-stage sampling was used that included various sampling techniques; stratified sampling, simple random sampling, and purposive sampling. A questionnaire was administered to collect data from the teachers. Pilot study was conducted for the questionnaire and the coefficient Cronbach’s alpha was 0.7 and this is acceptable for research. The researcher sort study permission from NACOSTI and the return rate of research instrument was 80% which was sufficient for the study. Descriptive statistics were illustrated through bar graphs and tables, while the quantitative data were analysed using the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS). Correlation was the inferential statistical method applied for data analysis. The findings revealed a negative and statistically significant relationship between teachers' workload and absenteeism, with a correlation coefficient of r = -0.466, p < .01.