An investigation into job satisfaction of deputy head teachers in public secondary schools of Mathira Division, Nyeri District

Abstract

The deputy head teachers are at the second structural level in the school hierarchical structure and have distinct duties outlined by the Ministry of Education. They play significant roles in the overall secondary school administration and as such their morale and motivation is crucial as it affects their level of performance. This study was carried out to investigate the degree of job satisfaction and the causes of job dissatisfaction in deputy head teachers of public secondary schools of Mathira division, Nyeri district. The main objective was to determine whether there is any relationship between job satisfaction and the independent variables of age, gender, marital status, academic qualifications, teaching experience and the category of school in which they taught. It also aimed at identifying the job factors which the deputies were satisfied or dissatisfied with while seeking to determine possible causes of their dissatisfaction. To carry out the study, the researcher used a questionnaire which was presented to 27 respondents who are deputy head teachers of public secondary schools in Mathira division. The questionnaires were to help in the testing of six null hypotheses that were used in the study, where 0.05 level of significance was considered as a measure-tor accepting or rejecting the hypotheses. The study found out that there was no significant difference between job satisfaction of deputy head teachers and the independent variables of age, gender, academic qualifications, marital status, teaching experience and the type of school in which they worked. Therefore all the null hypotheses were accepted. In general the study found out that 48.2% of the respondents were not satisfied with their jobs as deputy head teachers while 51.8% of the respondents were satisfied. However certain job factors emerged as very important to these deputy head teachers. Such. factors included salary, working conditions, interpersonal relations, job security, autonomy in decision making, reasonable work load and the head teachers' leadership styles. These factors influenced job performance of deputy head teachers and detennined their levels of satisfaction or dissatisfaction. Several recommendations have been made from the findings of this study. Such recommendations aim at improving the post of deputy headship and enhancing the job satisfaction of deputy head teachers. The study recommends that deputy head teachers be given adequate remuneration commensurate with their extra administrative responsibilities, and where possible allowances and other incentives should be given to them. Such deputies should not be left to stagnate in their present positions for long but instead they should be promoted to enhance their motivation. They should also be exposed to school administration and management by their head teachers and at the same time they should be fully trained through regular in-service courses. It is hoped that the findings of this study will help the Ministry of Education and the T.S.C to take appropriate measures to enhance job satisfaction of deputy head teachers thereby increasing their efficiency in job performance. Appropriate policies on promotion, remuneration and in-service training should be made to ensure that deputy head teachers are highly motivated. The study findings will also help head teachers to improve on their leadership styles so that they can fully involve their deputies in school management. The study recommends that research should be conducted in private secondary schools in order to compare the factors that give job satisfaction to . deputy headteachers of both public and private secondary schools. It is also necessary to undertake a similar study for deputy headteachers in other geographical locations and if possible throughout the country to give a clear position of their job satisfaction. Finally, the study suggests that those deputy headteachers who have left the teaching profession should be studied to determine why they left the teaching profession and whether they have a higher job satisfaction in their new jobs.