The relationship between exemplary leadership practices of principals and teacher`s retention factors in selected early childhood care and education (ECCE) centres in Singapore

Abstract

The main purpose of the study is to investigate if there is any significant relationship between Exemplary Leadership Practices (ELP) and Teacher’s Retention Factors (TRF) in selected ECCE centres in Singapore. The study employed a survey method and data were collected using an adapted questionnaire from Kouzes and Posner’s (2008) Leadership Practices Inventory (LPI) and Teacher Follow up Survey (TFS) (NCES, 2011). A total of 127 female Muslim teachers from different ECCE centres completed the questionnaires. The data were analysed using frequencies, descriptive statistics, t-test, ANOVA and Pearson product-moment correlation coefficient. Findings of the study revealed that the most dominant ELP was Enable Others to Act. In addition, no significant difference was found between demographic variables age, years of teaching experience, and training background with regard to ELP and TRF. This indicates that different groups of teachers do not differ in perspectives towards their principals’ leadership practices or their decision to stay or leave the profession. Finally, findings show that there is no direct significant relationship between ELP and TRF except for one negative relationship in each sub-domain, i.e. Model the way and Salary and benefits factor. This finding indicates that the more teachers perceive their leaders practice Model the way the lesser importance teachers put on the Salary and benefits factor. This study proved that leadership does influence teachers’ working conditions but it barely affects teachers’ retention factors. Hence, deeper and more extensive research needs to be carried out in order to understand the issues of retention in the Singapore ECCE centres.