A study of factors that contribute to lack of job satisfaction among primary school teachers in Nyeri municipality of Nyeri district
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Date
2012-05-29
Authors
Gatheru, Thiongo
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Abstract
It is generally agreed that workers join and stay in an organization only if they are satisfied with their jobs.
Since this is so, job satisfaction among teachers will make them more committed to their work and the ultimate goal of improving the quality of education. Every year thousands of teachers leave teaching to go to other jobs, business and farming. Another equal or larger number stay on apathetically whiling away the time, without any strong commitment to the job. The quality education suffers. With that premise in mind this study set out to find out the factors that contribute to lack of job satisfaction. It also sought out to gauge the level of dissatisfaction, what other occupations are attractive to teachers and finally the teachers opinions on how the profession could be made more attractive.
The research involved a total of one hundred and sixty teachers teaching in eleven schools in Nyeri municipality. This comprised just about half of the schools in the area. The research was purely descriptive in design and therefore the results were expressed in percentages and frequencies.
Most of the teachers still have a positive attitude towards teaching. They consider it an interesting career. Teachers however expressed disappointment at the failure of the employer to improve their salaries, promotion prospects, housing and house allowance, relationship with the employer and the public image of teacher.
As a alternative to teaching many teachers opted to go into mainly farming and business rather that to other paid employment. On how the job can be made more attractive teachers mainly expressed similar sentiments: increase the salaries, steamline promotion procedures, improve housing and house allowance and give respect to the teacher.
The implications of all this lack of satisfaction are obvious. If we accept a simple premise that it is better for people to be satisfied rather than dissatisfied then we can begin to see the harmful effect this feeling will have on the quality of education. If a teacher is frustrated and unhappy he will look for other areas to find his satisfaction and lose interest in the job. Before that happens we can only recommend a general improvement in the teachers terms of service.
Description
The LB 2840.G3
Keywords
School personal management//School management and organization//Job satisfaction