Exploring Teacher Deployment Challenges in Public Junior Secondary Schools in Nandi County, Kenya

Charity Otieno
University of Eastern Africa, Baraton
Email: charityawuor87@gmail.com

Abstract: The study aimed to investigate the challenges of teacher deployment in public junior secondary schools within Nandi County. The objectives included identifying factors influencing teacher deployment and distribution. The study participants included 64 teachers, 32 principals and one County Director of Education. Guided by the Discrepancy Model, the research employed a descriptive survey design and purposive sampling to select participants from four junior secondary schools in each sub-county. Data was collected through in-depth interviews. Analysis was done using emergent themes for qualitative data, offering comprehensive insights into the complexities of teacher deployment. Data was presented in figures 1 to 5. Majority of participants highlighted significant challenges related to teacher deployment, including large student populations exceeding the capacity of available teachers, inadequate resources, and discomfort teaching unfamiliar subjects due to lack of training. Additionally, political influence and administrative dominance were identified as contributing factors to uneven teacher distribution and high rates of teacher mobility, further exacerbating the challenges faced by JSS teachers. These findings underscore the urgent need for policy reforms and strategic interventions to address teacher deployment challenges and improve the overall quality of education in public JSS. Furthermore, the study revealed that inadequate teacher distribution directly impacts the quality of teaching and learning in public JSS. High teacher workload, exacerbated by uneven distribution and teacher shortages, compromises personalized attention and effective learning experiences for students. The study also identified recommended strategies for government intervention, including employing more trained teachers, considering subject combinations during deployment, improving facilities and resource allocation.