Factors of Teacher Transfer in Bayelsa and Delta States, Nigeria

Abstract

This study sought to determine the predictors of teachers' transfers within state-owned secondary academies in Bayelsa and Delta States with a view to determining the reasons for teachers' transfers within state secondary academies. Using Cochran's Alpha formula for small sample size determination, three hundred fifty (723) teachers were sampled from a population of 15,631 for their opinion on why teachers seek transfers. A structured questionnaire was used to obtain data for the study, along with data on teachers' transfers collected from the secondary school management boards of both states. The instrument was validated, and a reliability value of 0.77 was found for teachers using Cronbach's alpha statistic tool. Findings show that a remarkable number of teachers leave a particular school within the jurisdiction of the school system annually; however, analyses with Pearson's product-moment coefficient indicate that teachers' transfers are not remarkably linked to students' mobility; instead, the need to pass external examinations is. The study recommends, among other things, strict compliance with transfer practices.