Institutional factors influencing motivation among teachers in public primary schools in Kirinyaga West District, Kenya

Abstract

The purpose of the study was to investigate the institutional factors that affect motivation among teachers in public primary schools in Kirinyaga West district. Specifically the study examined how participation in decision making, role conflict, working conditions, and monetary rewards affects motivation among teachers in public primary schools. Descriptive survey design was used in this study. The target population for this study included the 41 public primary schools in Kirinyaga West District with a population of 41 head teachers, 533 teachers and 82 students. Data was collected using questionnaires. Prior to the main research, the study undertook a pilot study to measure validity and reliability. The researcher ascertained instrument validity by comparing the pilot study responses to the expected responses. From the findings the determined correlation coefficients for teachers' head teachers and pupils were 0.703, 0.792 and 0.82 respectively. The researcher administered the questionnaire to the head teachers and teachers in the selected schools on agreed dates.

Data collected from the respondents was both quantitative and qualitative in nature. Quantitative data was analyzed using descriptive statistics while qualitative data was analyzed using content analysis. From the findings, teachers were rarely allowed to participate in major decision making and rarely felt as part of leadership. The teachers had not experienced contlict between what the head teachers expect them to do, and what they felt they should do in the course oftheir duties. The study found that the teachers' personal needs were not well catered for like day offs. The working environment was not conducive. The study found that sometimes there were monetary appreciations to teachers to motivate them.

The study concluded that teachers were less motivated and thus not satisfied with their job. In addition, they were not tom by conflicting job demands as they had to do things they thought they were part of their duties. The study concludes that personal needs of teachers were not well catered for and working environment in the schools was not conducive. There were no adequate monetary rewards for every teacher. The study recommended that head teachers should practice participatory leadership because a lot of knowledge and facts are gathered since ﾕ. the teachers will have a broader perspective. The job demands should be discussed with teachers to ensure that the duties of the teachers are in line with what they expect.

Working environment should be made conducive and monetary appreciations should be used to motivate teachers. The Kenya Educational Staff Institute (KESl) should design training courses suitable. in addressing motivation. This will benefit public schools primary teachers in gaining knowledge on various levels of motivation suitablein enhancing their performance in the teaching field. Having explored the institutional factors influencing motivation among teachers in public primary schools in Kirinyaga West District, a similar study is recommended in other parts of the country as well as private schools in order to investigate the validity of the findings.