Job satisfaction among public secondary school headteachers in Kirinyaga District
Abstract
The purpose of this study was to determine job satisfaction among public
secondary school head teachers in Kirinyaga District. Specifically the study aimed
at: first, to establish the job factors that are satisfying or dissatisfying to secondary
school headteachers. Secondly, to find out whether there is any significant
difference between job satisfaction among secondary school headteachers and
selected independent variables namely sex; age; academic qualifications;
administrative experience; school size; and schools' geographical location.
To gather primary data a questionnaire was employed. The target
population for the study was 60 respondents. The data collected was analysed
using the two tailed t-test and one way analysis of variance with a significance level
of 0.05. At this significance level the calculated t-values and F-ratios were
compared with the critical values to acceptance or rejection of the null hypotheses.
After data analysis, the following were the research findings: Headteachers
in Kirinyaga District were slightly satisfied with the job factors of work content,
recognition, working conditions, interpersonal relations and school administration.
They were dissatisfied with the job factors of remuneration, promotion and job
security. Overall job satisfaction among headteachers was very low. It was also
established that there was no significant difference between job satisfaction among
public secondary school headteachers and their gender. Research results further
indicated that there was no significant difference between job satisfaction among
public secondary school headteachers and the school's geographical location. It
was also established that there was no significant difference between job
satisfaction among public secondary school headteachers and the school's
geographical location. It was also established that there was no significant
difference between job satisfaction among public secondary school headteachers
and their administrative experience in all the job factors examined. Research results
further indicate that there was no significant difference between job satisfaction
among public secondary school headteachers and location of the school.
Several conclusions were drawn from the findings of this study. On the
basis of research findings it was concluded that most of the headteachers in the
study area did not have long administrative experience. It was also established that
most schools in the study area are boarding schools and they are either one stream
or two streamed They are also located in the rural areas. From the research
finding it was apparent that to improve job satisfaction in the study area,
headteachers' remuneration' should be improved. Furthermore, promotions should
be given when they are due without delay. Assurances of security of tenure of
head teachers would also go a long way in improving job satisfaction. The other job
factors, namely: work content; recognition; working conditions; interpersonal
relations and schools administration needed to be improved so as to ensure full job
satisfaction among head teachers.
Several recommendations have been made. It is recommended that the
Ministry of Education should consider reviewing the remuneration as well as the
scheme of service of headteachers with a view to improving it. It is also
recommended that the Ministry of Education reviews the policies governing
promotions of headteachers in public secondary schools. For instance promotion
should be carried out transparently and the criteria used should be clearly defined.
There is also need to create more promotional opportunities for headteachers. It-is
also important that the security of tenure of office for headteachers should be
enhanced for the headteachers to satisfactorily perform their duties. To further
improve overall job satisfaction among head teachers, it is recommended that
resources are mobilized (through for instance Parents Teachers Associations (PTA)
to provide adequate physical facilities, books and other necessary facilities to.
promote the provision of quality education. It is further recommended that the
Ministry of Education through the Teachers Service Commission (TSC) centrally
controls teachers transfers.
Citation
Njagi, S.W(2002). Job satisfaction among public secondary school headteachers in Kirinyaga DistrictSponsorhip
University of NairobiPublisher
College of Education and External Studies, University of Nairobi
Description
Master of Education -Thesis
Collections
- Faculty of Education (FEd) [6011]