Relationship between Health Educators’ Variables and Retention in Public Secondary Schools in Delta and Edo States

Abstract

This study was undertaken to investigate relationship between health educators’ variables and job retention in public secondary schools in Delta and Edo states. The study employed correlational design. The population was 1122 principals and health educators’ in public secondary schools in Delta and Edo States. The population includes 469 principals and 215 health educators ’ in public secondary schools in Delta State and 259 principals and 179 health educators ’ in public secondary schools in Edo State. The researcher sampled 364 (50%) principals and the entire 394 health educators’ in public secondary schools in Delta and Edo States. The stratified random sampling technique was utilised to choose 50 % of principals in the two states that were used in the study. The instrument for the study was a questionnaire titled Health Educators’ Variables and Retention in Public Secondary Schools Questionnaire (HEVRPSSQ). Pearson Product Moment Correlational Coefficient (r) was used to establish the reliability of the questionnaire. Overall coefficient of the whole test value of Pearson Product Moment Correlational Coefficient (r) was 0 .79. Items on the questionnaire were scored by means of the four points scoring scale of Strongly Agree (4 points), Agree (3 points), Disagree (2 points) and Strongly Disagree (1 point). Out of the entire copies of 746questionnaires administered, 1,197 copies were retrieved. Principals were 359 and health educators’ were 387. Mean rating and standard deviation were utilised to answer the three research questions. Pearson Product Moment Correlational Coefficient (r) was utilised to test the three null hypotheses formulated to guide the study at 0.05 levels of significance. Findings showed that work load, class sise with health educators’ retention negatively in public secondary schools in Delta and Edo States. Supportive principals with health educators’ retention positively in public secondary schools in Delta and Edo States. There was a significant relationship among work load, class size, supportive principals and job retention in public secondary schools in Delta and Edo States. It was concluded in the study that work load, class size negatively relate with health educators ’ retention in public secondary schools in Delta and Edo States was low as the ratings were low. Supportive principals negatively relate with health educators’ retention in public secondary schools in Delta and Edo States was high as the ratings were high. It was recommended in the study that work load should be organised for health educators in public secondary schools in Delta and Edo States to enhance their’ retention, class size should be well stated to enhance health educators’ retention in public secondary schools in Delta and Edo States and competent mentors should be used in work load plans for health educators to enhance their retention in teaching in public secondary schools in Delta and Edo States.