Influence of school management committees’ practices on teachers’ motivation in public primary schools in Ganze district, Kenya

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to investigate the influence of school management committees’ practices on teacher motivation in public primary schools in Ganze district. The problem of pupils’ low achievement in academic work was attributed to teacher motivation. The research objectives sought to establish the extent to which involvement of teachers in decision making by the school management committee, recognition of teachers’ effort, working conditions provided by the school management committees and supervision by the headteacher influences motivation among public primary school teachers in Ganze district. The study used the Maslow’s theory of motivation which is suitable in that it captures different hierarchies of needs which could be among teachers in public primary schools. A descriptive survey design was used to investigate the influence of school management committees’ practices in relation to teachers’ motivation. The target population was all 123 public primary school headteachers and 947 teachers in Ganze district (District Education Office Ganze, 2014). The sample size of the study was 36 headteachers and 161 teachers. Thirty two out of thirty six headteachers participated in the study. On the other hand 142 out of 161 teachers filled in and returned the questionnaires. Nineteen teachers did not return the instruments and could not be reached due to shortage of time. From the findings, headteachers and teachers dominated the research participation, 88.89 percent and 88.20 percent respectively. Motivational practices were both extrinsic and intrinsic. In very few schools, teachers were rated to be highly and moderately satisfied with the school motivation practices. On the other hand more than a half of the teacher respondents generally indicated that they were slightly satisfied and moderately dissatisfied with the motivation practices in their schools. The researcher reached the conclusion that, where teacher motivation practices were provided for adequately, the teachers were satisfied with their job and they posted high pupil academic performance and vice-versa.The study recommends that there is need for school management committees in Ganze district to provide teachers’ motivational schemes which when applied in the schools will lead to conducive working environment hence improved pupils’ performance. Lastly, the researcher suggested that further research studies to be done on teachers’ involvement in decision making, relationship between teacher motivation and pupils’ academic achievement as well as the reasons behind so many teachers still holding P1 qualification in the district despite the many chances of academic advancement.