Assessment of factors influencing trainee teachers’ attitudes towards teaching profession in secondary schools: An evidence of education training institutions in Mbeya, Tanzania

Attitude of trainee teachers towards teaching profession in Tanzania secondary schools is a challenge to the education system development at large. However, little information on factors that influence attitude of trainee teachers is available. Therefore, the present study examined the factors that influence trainee teachers’ attitude towards teaching profession in secondary schools. Quasi-experimental research design and purpose sampling plan were used to select trainee teachers from Tukuyu teachers’ college, Tumaini University, and Teofilo Kisanji University in Mbeya region. The study used semi structured questionnaires, in which a sample size of 183 trainee teachers was collected. Descriptive statistics was used to analyze data using SPSS. Results showed that trainee teachers disliked teaching profession because of low salaries and poor perception of the society towards the professional. Therefore, it is concluded that low salary and bad perception towards teaching profession are factors that influenced negatively the attitude of trainee teachers towards teaching professional. It is therefore, recommended that the government should improve salaries for teachers in secondary schools and the society should regard teaching profession like other professions.