A study of the factors contributing to job Satisfaction and dissatisfaction among Secondary school teachers in Turkana district
Abstract
Secondary school education development in Kenya has been one of the main concerns of
the government since independence. Recommendations have been made by education
reports, starting from the Ominde report (1964), on provision of sufficient and well trained
teachers in the Kenyan schools. Besides supply of teachers there has also been
efforts to retain and motivate them in the teaching profession so as to provide quality
education. Many Studies have been carried out on motivation and job satisfaction of
teachers focusing on various aspects of job satisfaction and motivation. This study was
thus aimed at investigating the factors that contribute to teachers' job
satisfaction/dissatisfaction in secondary schools of Turkana District. The study focused
on relationships between levels of job satisfaction/dissatisfaction and various independent
variables.
The study tried to establish the top five factors that caused job satisfaction and the top
five factors that caused dissatisfaction among secondary school teachers. The views of
teachers on improvement of the teaching profession were also sought.
The literature review tried to establish the early studies on the subject of motivation.
Early psychologists were reviewed and their view about behaviour of workers at place of
work. Some of the scholars highlighted are Fredrick Taylor (1911), Follet (1924) and
Mayo (1942).
Other areas covered in literature review included satisfaction and motivation and showing
background studies about them. Selected theories of work motivation and job
satisfaction were also reviewed. Theories reviewed are: Maslow's Needs Hierarchy,
Herzberg's Two-factor Theory, Expectancy Theory and Reinforcement Theories of work
motivation. Then the teachers' job satisfaction and dissatisfaction was looked at.
In research methodology, the research design employed is discussed. Other areas
discussed are target population, sampling procedure, data collection instruments, data
collection procedure, data analysis tools, instrument validity and reliability.
In this study the expost facto design was used and the research targeted secondary
school teachers in Turkana district. Random sampling was used to select 80 teachers in
all secondary schools in the district. All the 80 teachers sampled completed and returned
the questionnaires for analysis.
The only research instrument used was a questionnaire. The first part of the questionnaire
developed consisted of questions on demographic variables of the respondents. The
second part had 36 job factors. They were rated in a five-point scale using the Minnesota
Satisfaction Questionnaire (MSQ). The third part consisted of three questions asking
teachers about the factors that cause job satisfaction, those that cause job dissatisfaction
and suggestions on how to improve the teaching profession.
Administering a pilot study on 10 teachers drawn from four schools was done to
determine validity and reliability of the instrument. Since the instrument had no difficulty
in completing, it was validated. The reliability was found to be 0.89 using the Pearson
Product Moment Correlation Coefficient.
The findings of the study were that:
1. Secondary school teachers were generally dissatisfied with their salaries.
2. Interpersonal relations between the teachers and fellow teachers showed highest level
of satisfaction.
3. Hardship allowance paid to teachers showed highest level of dissatisfaction.
4. There was significant relationship between the teachers' levels of job
satisfaction/dissatisfaction and their sex, marital status, teaching experience,
professional grade, number of schools taught and age.
S. Teachers in the secondary schools were less than forty years.
6. Teachers were generally dissatisfied with promotional procedure.
7. Teachers were discontented with the transfer procedure.
S. Generally the type of school taught had no significant relationship with the levels of
job satisfaction Idissatisfaction among secondary school teachers.
9. The number of schools taught variable showed significant relationship with levels of
job satisfaction/dissatisfaction in only four job factors, that is, other teachers
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recognition about good work, simplicity/difficulty of subject matter,
amount of salary paid and distance from home to school.
10. The marital status had significant difference with the level of job satisfaction
/dissatisfaction in the job factor of size of stream and sense of achievement in
students' performance.
Recommendations of the study are:
1. The teacher remuneration should be increased to be commensurate to the teachers'
needs and inflation.
2. The transfer procedure be improved so that teachers who badly need transfer be
offered.
3. Teachers should be provided with adequate teaching material and fieldwork studies.
4. Promotional procedures should be improved for secondary school teachers basing on
both academic and professional qualification.
S. Teachers in secondary schools should be provided with good well furnished
houses to enable them do their work comfortably.
6. The house allowance for teachers in hardship areas be increased.
7. The syllabus change should be carried out in consultation with all teachers in their
subject areas.
8. Administration should provide a conducive work environment for teachers to teach
without interference.
9. Head teachers should be in serviced on good management so as to motivate their
teachers.
10.Hardship allowance should be increased for teachers in hardship area.
Suggestions for further Research.
Further study should be done on:
1. The impact of satisfaction level on performance.
11. Factors that contribute to teachers' levels of job satisfaction/dissatisfaction in other
regions in Kenya
Sponsorhip
The University of NairobiPublisher
Department of Education