Teacher Attrition in Government Schools: A Mixed-Methods Study of Occupational Stress, Compensation, and Career Mobility

Abstract

Teacher attrition in government schools represents a critical challenge to educational quality and system sustainability. This comprehensive review synthesizes current research examining the complex interplay between occupational stress, compensation structures, and career mobility patterns that drive teacher departure from public education. Analysis of national data reveals that while overall attrition rates have remained relatively stable at approximately 8% annually, significant disparities exist across school contexts, with high-poverty schools experiencing turnover rates exceeding 20%. The review integrates quantitative findings on burnout prevalence (25-74%), stress levels (8-87%), and compensation gaps with qualitative insights on working conditions and professional satisfaction. Key findings indicate that occupational stress, characterized by workload intensity, administrative burdens, and inadequate support, serves as a primary predictor of burnout and subsequent attrition. Compensation emerges as a critical but insufficient factor, with teachers earning 19% less than comparably educated professionals in other sectors. Career mobility patterns reveal that teachers in high-need schools, beginning teachers, and those in shortage subject areas face elevated attrition risk. The conservation of resources theory and job demands-resources model provide theoretical frameworks for understanding how resource depletion accelerates burnout and turnover. Policy recommendations emphasize comprehensive approaches including competitive compensation, enhanced working conditions, strengthened induction and mentoring programs, and strategic differentiation of pay structures to address persistent staffing challenges in underserved schools.