ABSTRACT
This study explored the factors that influenced veteran teachers to remain in private schools despite the continuing challenges associated with private education. Specifically, it examined the challenges encountered and the opportunities experienced by private school teachers who had rendered more than 15 years of service in their respective institutions. The study employed a qualitative case study design anchored on constructionism and symbolic interactionism. Four veteran private school teachers from sectarian and non-sectarian schools in Iloilo served as informants and were selected through purposive and snowball sampling. The data were gathered through semi-structured interviews, supported by triangulation responses from colleagues or superiors. The interview data were transcribed, analyzed, and organized into within-case and cross-case themes. The findings revealed that the teachers experienced several challenges, including heavy workload, multiple teaching preparations, salary limitations, administrative demands, parent-related pressures, technological adjustment, and work-family tension. Despite these difficulties, they remained in private school because of meaningful retention anchors such as spiritual formation, institutional belonging, supportive colleagues, professional growth, academic freedom, student affirmation, family-centered benefits, and scholarships for teachers’ children. The cross-case analysis showed that retention was not caused by the absence of challenges but by the presence of stronger personal, relational, professional, spiritual, and practical reasons for staying. The study concluded that teacher retention in private schools is a meaning-based and context-bound decision shaped by interaction of school culture, support systems, professional identity, and personal life circumstances. It is recommended that private schools develop more holistic, family-sensitive, and teacher-centered retention practices that address workload, recognition, professional development, benefits, and workplace culture.
Keywords: Stage 1 Learners, Reading Behavior, Program Intervention
INTRODUCTION
As mandated by the 1987 Philippine Constitution, it is the duty of the state to provide quality education to the citizens of the country. Furthermore, through RA 8545, also known as the Expanded Government Assistance to Students and Teachers in Private Education Act (E-GASTPE), the state recognizes the critical role of the private educational institutions and emphasizes the need for mechanisms that sustain quality education within this sector. With this collaborative effort, the stability of the teaching workforce is a primary concern in ensuring a consistent quality instruction. It is fundamental to retain experienced educators, as high turnover disrupts continuity and necessitates costly investment in teacher recruitment and training (Sumipo, 2020).
Teachers play a significant role in the lives of their students. Their influence is not just in the imparting of knowledge, but by serving as second parents, role models, and motivators. Experienced teachers positively affect the performance of the learners (Dublas & Genuba, 2023) and their motivation and satisfaction are essential to the growth of the school institution (Cabasal, et. al., 2025). The ability to develop a successful school relies to the ability to attract and retain quality teachers. Higher retention rates give confidence to different educational stakeholders, especially the learners and parents (Sumipo, 2020).
Despite their importance, private school institutions face significant challenges particularly at the start of every school year when many private school teachers transfer to public institutions for better benefits (Hernando-Malipot, 2018 as cited by Cardino & Naparan, 2023). In the Philippine setting, most teachers make the private school institution a stepping stone to gain experience before they apply for a teaching position in public schools and even abroad. Small private schools are not attractive to education graduates or teachers due to low compensation in comparison to the public schools (Aduna et al., 2020 as cited by Saldevia & Pedroso, 2025). While various reasons have been identified, such as low salary, lack of teachers’ motivation, communication gap between management and teachers, workload, and absence of career path for teachers, there are those who remain to stay. This suggests that the fulfillment of one’s profession and vocation does not solely rely on the financial rewards one could obtain.
In the literature of this study, factors related to job satisfaction of the teachers are identified. Employees’ job satisfaction is vital in the organization. Those who are satisfied with their job, not only become productive and build relationship, but remain in the organization. Unable to meet job satisfaction could result to employee’s disengagement (Hagwood, 2023).
Teachers’ turnover has a negative impact on the private schools, especially in school expenses since they need to train newly hired teachers for quality education. To mitigate this turnover risk, private school systems in the Philippines actively implement various retention policies. This includes public-private partnership program managed by Philippines Education Assistance Committee (PEAC) by providing Teacher Salary Subsidy (TSS) to bridge the gap in salary. Additionally, private institutions invest to support the professional development of the teachers through structured In-Service Training (INSET) and graduate study assistance.
While numerous researches have presented the factors of teacher attrition and the challenges the private school teachers face (EDCOM 2, 2024; Sumipo, 2020), there is insufficient qualitative information about veteran educators who stayed in their profession for more than 15 years.
This study about the factors why teachers stay in the private school organization was conceived due to the reason that quality education should be offered both in the public and private schools. In addition, it seeks to fill the gaps by investigating the factors that grounded the teachers to stay in the private sectors while demonstrating enduring commitment to the teaching profession.
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