Teachers’ Welfare and Its Influence on Retention in Rural Secondary Schools in Taraba State

This study investigates the relationship between teachers' welfare provisions and retention rates in rural secondary schools in Taraba State, North East Nigeria. Teacher retention in rural postings is one of the most persistent human resource challenges in Nigerian public secondary education. Teachers posted to rural areas frequently seek transfers to urban centres, creating chronic staffing instability in schools that are already disadvantaged. In Taraba State, rural posting hardship is compounded by poor road access, inadequate housing, limited social amenities, and delayed salary payments. A descriptive survey design was adopted, with data from 120 teachers in rural postings and 20 school principals across 20 rural secondary schools in Jalingo, Bali, and Ardo-Kola local government areas. Welfare dimensions assessed include salary regularity, housing provision, transport allowances, professional development access, and workload management. Retention intention was measured using a validated intention-to-stay scale. Regression and correlation analyses were applied. Results reveal that regular salary payment and housing provision are the strongest predictors of retention intention. Teachers in schools with staff quarters and reliable salary payment expressed significantly higher intentions to remain in their rural postings. The study concludes that material welfare provisions are decisive determinants of teacher retention in rural Taraba State. It recommends that the Taraba State Government prioritise staff quarters construction in all rural secondary schools and introduce a rural posting enhancement allowance of at least 25 percent above urban salary rates to incentivise and sustain rural teacher retention.

Keywords: teacher welfare, teacher retention, rural schools, Taraba State, rural posting.