Role Overload, Teacher-Pupil-Ratio, School Type, Years of Teaching Experience, Gender and Burn Out as Factors Related to Work Stress among Primary School Teachers in Kasarani Division, Nairobi County, Kenya

Abstract

The intention of this study was to establish the work related factors that contribute to stress and burn out among primary school teachers in Kasarani. To achieve this, the study sought to investigate the role played by overload in terms of lessons taught per week and class size. The study also explored whether school type (public or private) had any relationship with work stress. In addition the study sought to establish were years of teaching experience, gender and their relationship with work stress. Data were collected from 120 teachers through a paper based questionnaire. Majority of teacher reported work overload (50.83%) against 43.33% who reported mild overload while only 5.84% reported no overload. With regard to burn out, a high percentage of teachers 61.67 reported to have experienced burn out while 35.00% reported mild burn out and only 3.33% reported no burn out. Analysis of variance revealed statistical significance between role overload and burn out. The findings further revealed that teachers in public schools experienced higher work stress than their counterparts in the private secondary schools. Neither length of service nor gender was found to contribute to work stress. The study recommended that the ministry of education structures the teachers’ job to make it more manageable by reducing class size and work load. This can be achieved though building additional classrooms and employing more teachers. The school administration should ensure put structures that give teachers support like employing teacher assistants to do a lot of the clerical work that teachers do. In addition the study recommended that teachers be trained how to cope with work related stress through application of time management skills, efficient communication of their needs and feelings. Lastly, the study recommended that teachers should be encouraged to seek for support from school administration and family.