A STUDY OF JOB STRESS AMONG SECONDARY SCHOOL TEACHERS

ABSTRACT

This paper take a look at the study of job stress among secondary school teachers in Tambuwal Local Government Area of Sokoto State. One hundred and five (105) teachers in five secondary schools were randomly selected using simple sampling techniques. A 15-item questionnaire was drawn in line with the four research questions raised for the study. Data were collected using a research-made questionnaire titled Job Stress and Teachers Effectiveness Questionnaire (JSTEQ). Collected data were analyzed through the use of table and percentage. Findings revealed that most of the teachers find teaching job stressful and students misbehavior also contributed to teachers’ stress. Subsequently, it is recommended that government and authority concerned should reduce with urgency all identified stressors in schools for the teachers to carryout their work diligently.

CHAPTER ONE

1.1 Background to the Study

In the educational process, the teacher occupies a very important place. A teacher is the medium through which educational objectives and plans can be actualized. For this, the teacher must have sound, mental and physical health. Teaching is a profession where every day radical changes occur in the educational system. These changes are likely to increase, rather than reduce the level of stress among teachers. Secondary school teachers experience higher level of stress due to demanding situations, while dealing with students. Overcrowded classes, heavy syllabus and inadequate facilities make teacher’s work more complex. Researchers in service industry like nursing, hotel and police have highlighted that working personnel experience varying degree of stress and sometime burnout (Indira, 2008). Correlation between job satisfaction and performance has been proved in above mentioned professions (Nursing and Police). Present study is undertaking to study the job stress among secondary school teachers in relation to their teaching effectiveness and also how the perceptions of teachers and their students differed on teaching effectiveness (E-Journal of All Indian Association for Educational Research, Indira, 2008).

The importance of teachers in a nation building cannot be over emphasized. One cannot discuss the role of education in the National development without giving central attention to teachers as the real agents of development. National development hinges on the contribution of teachers towards attainment of academic excellence by the students. The major work of teachers is human resources development and no nation can develop above her human resources. The different professions trained by teachers have their own contribution to make in the national development. In spite of the central role teachers occupied in the national development, researches by Adeyemo and Ogunyemi (2005), Dorman (2003) Linde (2000) have identified stress as one of the cardinal factors militating against effective performance in school.