Headteachers' Administrative Support in Enhancing Teacher Retention: A qualitative Case Study of Public Secondary Schools in Nyagatare District, Rwanda

Abstract: Teacher retention is an enduring difficulty in public secondary schools, especially in rural and resource-constrained situations. This research evaluated the contribution of school head teachers’ administrative support to teacher retention, focusing on a case study of a public secondary school in Rwanda. With Herzberg’s Two-Factor Theory, motivation, instruction, profession, and environment support approaches were evaluated to assess their contribution to retaining teachers in schools. A qualitative research strategy was followed, employing purposeful sampling of three head teachers and nine teachers in Nyagatare, Rwanda. Data collection through interviews revealed the findings, which noted that head teachers’ administrative support is an essential factor for teacher retention in public secondary schools. Instructional support via supervision, mentoring, and positive feedback helped build teachers’ self-confidence and competence in different settings in Nyagatare. There was also the provision of motivational and emotional support, which boosted the morale and sense of belonging among the teachers. However, some of the challenges that were identified, which posed threats to effective administrative support, included inadequate financial resources, inadequate teaching materials, and excessive administrative work for the head teachers, among others. Conclusion: The main conclusion of this study is that enhancing support for head teachers in terms of administrative support would be essential in enhancing the retention of teachers in public secondary schools. Keywords: Teacher retention, Administrative support, School leadership. Title: Headteachers’ Administrative Support in Enhancing Teacher Retention: A qualitative Case Study of Public Secondary Schools in Nyagatare District, Rwanda International Journal of Social Science and Humanities Research ISSN 2348-3156 (Print), ISSN 2348-3164 (online) Vol. 14, Issue 1, January 2026 - March 2026 Page No: 112-122 Research Publish Journals Website: www.researchpublish.com Published Date: 11-February-2026