Teacher Attrition: Effects on Teachers’ Well-being, Resource Allocation, Leadership Support, and Passion

Abstract

Teacher attrition has become a growing concern in Bhutan with an increasing number of teachers leaving the system. This study explored the implications of teacher attrition on teachers’ well-being, organisational, and system-level effects. Using a sequential explanatory design, quantitative data were gathered from 68 higher secondary school teachers and qualitative data from 12 teachers. The quantitative data were analysed using descriptive statistics, while the qualitative data were analysed thematically. The findings showed that teacher attrition has increased the workload for remaining teachers, affecting their professional and emotional well-being. The findings also highlighted a need for a more responsive leadership from the Ministry of Education and Skills Development to connect policy with practice. At the school level, supportive leadership was found to motivate teachers, while authoritarian practices lowered teachers’ morale. Despite these challenges, the findings showed that teachers’ passion for teaching has not deteriorated. The study recommends structured succession planning and reducing non-teaching tasks for maintaining teacher motivation, lowering stress, and ensuring quality education in Bhutan.