Exploring the factors that enhance teacher retention in rural schools in Ghana

Access to education for children living in rural communities is widely known to be hampered by inequitable teacher deployment to rural schools. While much is known about the barriers encountered by teachers in Ghana, little is known about the factors that enhance teacher retention in rural schools. In this study, the fourcapital teacher retention model was adapted as the conceptual framework to examine the factors that promote teacher retention in rural schools in Ghana. The Teacher Retention Scale (TRS), consisting of 12 items and two sub-scales, was administered to 164 teachers recruited from 15 schools in 10 communities in a single district in Ghana. The results show that the participants were slightly positive on structural capital and social capital as well as high positive correlation between both sub-scales. The need for policymakers to consider both capitals in designing teacher retention strategies in rural schools is discussed.