Administrators' attitudes toward teachers' absenteeism in Kenya and ways to influence it

According to many recent reports the phenomenon of teachers’ absenteeism has occured to be a serious problem in the low-economy countries, including Kenya (e.g. The World Bank’s report 2017; Reinikka et al., 2018; Bold et al., 2017; Rosenblatt & Shirom, 2005; Weston, 2018; Obiero, Mwebi, & Nyang'ara, 2017). In Kenya, according to the World Bank (Martin, 2013) it is stated that on average absence rate of teachers is 16%. In addition, in the country, for every 100 public school teachers, 55 were in class teaching while 27 were at school but not teaching. The World Bank (Martin, 2013) also reported that teachers’ absenteeism in Kenya is one of the problems facing improvement of the education sector. Teachers’ absenteeism is fundamentally not a problem only of teachers or school management, but a far-reaching phenomenon which have an effect on students’ in-sufficient learning outcomes (Muasya, 2016). Teachers’ absenteeism together with teachers’ conceivable low competence and self-esteem for teaching is hindering students’ possibilities to get quality learning experiences. Teachers ought to be good instructors and facilitators for learning which requires teachers’ presence in schools (UNESCO, 2017/8, pp. 65-66).

The project responses the accute problem in Kenya in education, teaching, learning and school management. According to many recent reports the phenomenon of teachers’ absenteeism has occured to be a serious problem in the low-economy countries, including Kenya (e.g. The World Bank’s report 2017; Reinikka et al., 2018; Bold et al., 2017; Rosenblatt & Shirom, 2005; Weston, 2018; Obiero, Mwebi, & Nyang'ara, 2017). In Kenya, according to the World Bank (Martin, 2013) it is stated that on average absence rate of teachers is 16%. In addition, in the country, for every 100 public school teachers, 55 were in class teaching while 27 were at school but not teaching. The World Bank (Martin, 2013) also reported that teachers’ absenteeism in Kenya is one of the problems facing improvement of the education sector.