Effect of Teachers’ Absenteeism on learners’ performance in primary schools in Fort Portal Municipality Kabarole District

Abstract

The study established the effect of teachers’ absenteeism on learners’ performance in primary schools in Fort Portal Municipality, Kabarole District. The specific objectives that guided the study were; to establish the effect of teachers’ absenteeism on learners’ academic performance; to determine the effects of teachers’ absenteeism on learners’ discipline and to examine the effect of teachers’ absenteeism on learners’ attitude towards co-curricular activities in primary schools in Fort Portal Municipality. The study adopted a cross-sectional survey design in which structured questionnaires and face-to-face interviews were used to collect data from 134 respondents. These included head teachers, teachers and Officers from the Municipal Education Office. The sampling of respondents was done using simple random sampling and census/enumeration. The data collected was analyzed using relative frequencies and percentages (univariate statistics), Pearson correlation co-efficient (bivariate statistics) and regression analysis of the model summary. The major finding in this study was a significant effect of teachers’ absenteeism on learners’ attitude towards co-curricular activities. Of the three aspects of learners’ performance that were assumed to be affected by teachers’ absenteeism, only learners’ attitude towards co-curricular activities was found a standalone variable that was greatly affected by teachers’ absenteeism in primary schools in Fort Portal Municipality, Kabarole district. The other two aspects i.e. academic performance and learners’ discipline were excluded since they were not statistically and significantly affected by teachers’ absenteeism. From the findings of the study, it can be concluded that the effect of teachers’ absenteeism on learners’ attitude towards co-curricular activities in primary schools in Fort Portal Municipality, Kabarole district is statistically significant. However, this should not mean that teacher absenteeism has no effect on academic performance and learners’ discipline, so, they should not be ignored. Recommendations of the study were; management and administration should identify ways of minimizing teacher absenteeism in schools: School administrators should design a feedback mechanism that is used for cross checking whether the teachers are present or absent in schools,. Since education is the engine of growth and development, Government should prioritize teacher’s salary and pay it in time when the month ends. Schools should put in place measures that ensure follow-ups on teachers’ attendance books, course syllabus and content delivery and coverage. They should do so through field-based supervision, evaluation and appraisal.