Thesis:

Assessing teachers’ characteristics in retention and transition in primary school among learners from children’s homes in Nairobi county, Kenya

Teachers are a vital pillar of any educational practice, determine school excellence and play an essential role in compelling not only academic attainment but also learners’ life’s goal attainment. Retention and transition are key in ensuring that all the individual and national goals of education are achieved. In Kenya, the government is determined to achieve 100% transition from primary to secondary school and to this effect, several laws have been set. This research project targeted primary school head teachers and teachers in Nairobi County where the children learn. The objective was to assess the role of teachers` professionalism in retention and transition in primary school among learners from children’s homes, assess influence of teachers` skills on retention and transition in primary school among learners from children’s homes, assess the influence of teacher`s attitude in retention and transition in primary school among learners from children’s homes, and establish the influence of teacher-learner attachment in retention and transition in primary school among learners from children’s homes in Nairobi County. In the proposal project the researcher assessed teachers` characteristics in retention and transition in primary school among learners from children’s homes in Nairobi County. The theoretical framework concentrated on attachment theory, ecological system theory and sociocultural theory in relation to the role teachers and head teachers play in the primary schools where the children learn. The researcher used Quantitative research method to measure data and to generalize results from a sample of the desired population. The researcher adopted Primary and secondary sources of data to collect information from respondents, and data was gathered using questionnaire and interview guide. The study adopted Descriptive research design to get a sample from the target population. Purposive Random sampling was adopted to get a sample size of 400 from the target population of 2075 derived from two subgroups consisting of primary school head teachers, and teachers in Nairobi County. The study conducted the study in primary schools believed to have learners from Children’s homes. Mt. Kenya University and the institute of education validated the content of the instruments and provided expert opinion and suggestions in the study. The researcher used Cronbach`s alpha coefficient to measure study reliability. Quantitative data was gathered using questionnaires and analyzed using Descriptive statistics in SPSS (Version 23.0) and was presented in percentages, means and frequencies and tabulated in tables. Inferential statistics used in the study was regression and correlation analysis models. The finding revealed that the teacher had empathy, resilience, observational skills, and teaching proficiency that enhanced teaching skills. Therefore, the teaching skills assisted not only in performance of the pupils but significantly affected the retention and transition of learners from children’s homes (P<0.05). There was high level of professionalism among teachers, including commitment, integrity, and responsibility in their roles. The teacher had high professionalism. Hence, teacher’s professionalism had enhanced the retention and transition (P<0.05). The teacher were also patience, collaboration, and social engagement with students which enhanced teacher-learner attachment. This had the highest positive significant influence on retention and transition rate (P<0.05). Finally, teacher’s attitude through teachers' responsiveness, instructional support, positive attitude, and role modelling positively influence student outcomes. Therefore, there was positive significant effect of teachers’ attitude towards pupils on retention and transition (P<0.05). The study concluded teacher skills, teachers’ professionalism, teacher-learner attachment and teacher’s attitude as teachers’ characteristics had positive influence on the retention and transition of students in children home schools. The study recommended social skills development and professionalism improvement.