Influencing Factors On Teacher Career Choice In Ghana

Career choice is a complex decision forindividuals since it determines the kind of profession they intend to pursue in life.Teaching profession is one of such careers to choose.Several studies show that new students all over the world are usually faced with a dilemma in making a career choice decision in their lives.In-service teachers also face the problem of career choice.This research was done to examine the factors that influence teacher career choice in Ghana.Its specific objectives include:1)to determine the main factors influencing pre and in-service teachers career choice in Ghana;2)to establish the main people influencing teachers' career choice;and 3)to establish how the pre and in-service teachers' choice in terms of tolerance of ambiguity,self-directed learner,persistence and job ethics.Random sampling method was administered in two selected Colleges of Education in the Kumasi metropolis.Each school had a sample size of 75 respondents making a total of 150 participants from both schools.Qualitative data instrument used for the study was interview through phone calls a total of 33 participants(21 in-service teachers and 12 pre-service teachers)responded and each lasted between 18 to 30mins.Using a descriptive analysis triangulated with both qualitative and quantitative tools to analyses the data.The study used the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences(SPSS),and Microsoft Excel to analyze the data which was interpreted and discussed based on the sequence of the research questions.The in-depth semi-interviews conducted with a number of pre and in-service teachers showed that passion for the teaching profession,previous experiences,personality type and job security were emphasized by most of the participants.However,findings of the study revealed that the family members and other individuals have little or no influence on their teaching career decision.In fact,most of participants asserted that they were discouraged by their parents from choosing teaching as a career due to limited salaries and incentives.The study also found that the participants were largely influenced by the social and economic conditional factors.Based on the findings,a number of conclusions as well as some practical recommendations for action relative to the enhancement of the teaching profession and education as a whole are advanced.