International Journal of Education and Social Science www.ijessnet.com Vol. 2 No. 1; January 2015 44 Personal Characteristics and Career Progression of Tutors in Primary Teacher Colleges in Kenya Dr. Boniface Ngaruiya Peter Nyaga Muchanje Paul A Odundo School of Education University of Nairobi Kenya Abstract This study investigated the effect of tutors’ personal characteristics (age, qualification, gender, career aspiration and experience) on career progression in Public Teacher Training Colleges (PTTCs) in Kenya. The study was conducted as a descriptive survey with 264 tutors randomly sampled from eight public teacher colleges in Kenya. Data were collected using a questionnaire for tutors and an interview schedule for Principals. Random sampling was used to pick respondents involved in the study. A total of 207 respondents returned the questionnaire out of 264 representing 78.4 % return rate which was deemed acceptable. One way ANOVA was used to test the relationship between each selected variable and tutors career progression at 0.05. The study found that age, gender, and experience were not significantly related to tutors’ career progression. Tutors’ career aspiration and qualifications were found to be significantly related (a =0.05) to tutors career progression. The study concluded that there is need to systematically address personal characteristics of tutors towards career progression to stem tutor job dissatisfaction and possible attrition. Key terms: Primary teacher colleges, Career progression, Tutors, Teaching Introduction Teachers are at the core of the education system, and contribute greatly to school student performance (Hanusheck and Rivkin, 2000; Uwezo initiative, 2011). Due to this importance, the Government of Kenya (GOK) desires to have a properly skilled and professional human resource in order to achieve the Millennium Development Goals (MGDs) and Vision 2030 (ROK, 2007). The introduction of Free Primary Education (FPE) in Kenya in 2003 increased the teacher - student ratio in both primary schools and PTTCs requiring preparation of tutors for new roles and planning to retain and motivate professional tutors in their career. This cannot be achieved unless a good climate is provided where teachers offering the FPE are well trained by PTTCs tutors. Public primary teacher college tutors prepare the about 8000 students admitted annually for a two year residential teacher certificate course (ROK, 2003). Yet, according to a survey done by Tetra Link Taylor and Associates in June 2009 on behalf of Teachers Service Commission, teachers in Kenya, especially tutors in colleges reported discouragement from low remuneration and stagnation in the same job grades (TSC, 2009). This study investigates personal tutor characteristics that may help to explain this stagnation in their careers. It is necessary to address tutor issues if we are to produce the quality primary school teachers envisaged in national planning documents (Galabawa, 2003) . Statement of the Problem Primary Teacher Training Colleges (PTTCs) train primary school teachers, who represent more than half of all teachers employed by TSC (UNESCO, 2009). However, one of the major challenges facing Kenya in attainment of vision 2030 and Millennium Development Goals (MDG) is to improve students’ outcomes, and this requires improved tutor commitment. Despite training there are still concerns that our primary school sector is underperforming (Uwezo Initiative, 2011).