Men who Teach and Leave: An Investigation into Factors that Push Men Out of the Classroom

Abstract

Feminization of the Trinidad and Tobago teaching profession
has been well known for decades with male teachers accounting for
approximately one quarter of the teaching service. Several studies have
highlighted the value of male teachers as role models for boys. Yet, men
continue to exit the teaching service in quest of alternative forms of
employment. This study investigated factors that push men out of the
classroom in search of alternative forms of employment. Four hundred
and fifty-three (453) participants were randomly selected from the
northern and southern parts of Trinidad where they once taught.
Findings of the study revealed that while approximately 20% of the
sample left the teaching service as a result of compulsory retirement, the
majority left because of individual and contextual factors ranging from
low salary and the desire to explore opportunities for upward mobility,
to lack of parental and administrative support. Results of this study
have implications for a more robust education policy formation aimed at
attracting, recruiting, and retaining male teachers in the Trinidad and
Tobago government primary and secondary school system.