Recently, both in Slovenia and in many other countries across Europe and the world, there has been a significant shortage of teachers. On the one hand, this profession is no longer an attractive option for young people, and on the other hand, many teachers are leaving the profession. This study examines the extent to which the intention to leave the profession is present among secondary school teachers, the demographic variables associated with it, the main reasons why teachers consider leaving, and what keeps them in the profession. A total of 262 Slovenian teachers, who teach at vocational secondary schools and high schools, participated in the study. They completed a questionnaire I designed based on a literature review. The results showed that the proportion of teachers expressing an intention to leave the profession is far from negligible. I found that demographic variables (gender, years of service, type of secondary school program, possession or lack of pedagogical-andragogical education, subject taught, and whether or not the subject is part of the national examination) do not significantly influence the intention to leave the profession. However, teachers' subjective perceptions of the school's reputation and students' academic achievements are significantly negatively correlated with this intention. The most important factors causing teachers to consider leaving the profession include low pay, an inadequately structured performance-based reward system, the low status of the profession, and low student motivation. On the other hand, the most important factors that keep teachers in the profession are a sense of success at work, positive relationships with students and colleagues, and a love for the profession. The findings of this study contribute to understanding the phenomenon of teachers leaving the profession. They can be utilized by state institutions and school management which have the power to improve the well-being and working conditions of teachers, particularly in planning strategies to retain teachers in the profession and to enhance its attractiveness to those considering entering it.
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