(PDF) Critical Analysis of the Impact of Pay Satisfaction on Teacher's Commitment in Some Selected Secondary Schools

CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY

Job satisfaction has recently become a major issue for all companies, whether they are public or private, and whether they are located in industrialized or developing nations. One of the reasons for this level of attention is because pleased employees are described as dedicated employees, and commitment is a sign of organizational productivity and efficiency (Coulter, 2005). Given the importance of work satisfaction to the long-term growth of any educational system across the world, and seeing education as the most significant instrument for human creation and development of any nation. As a result, FRN (2004) makes it plain that the government views education as the most important investment the country can make in order to achieve civilization, modernization, development, and socioeconomic advancement. As a result, one of the most important components in achieving this aim is the role of instructors. It is usually accepted that a country’s most precious asset is its instructors. They contribute to the country’s prosperity. Teachers are supposed to be the nation’s builders. Teachers, according to Fredriksson (2004), have the capacity to improve school performance because they have direct control on students’ human capital development during the teaching and learning process. As a result, teachers’ dedication is a key factor in determining the success of education reform and the efficacy of schools. It should be mentioned, however, that today’s teachers face a variety of problems, all of which combine to weaken their morale and drive to perform effectively in their employment. According to McLaughlin (2003), many of the well-publicized flaws in the United States’ primary and secondary education systems are attributable, in large part, to shortfalls in school teachers’ working conditions, resources, and support. Teachers, for example, are underpaid, have too little influence in how schools are run, have too few opportunities to enhance their teaching abilities, lack support or help, and are not appropriately rewarded or acknowledged for their contributions, according to proponents of this viewpoint (Robbins, 2005). These critics argue that the key to increasing school quality is to improve the status, training, and working circumstances of teachers in order to improve the teaching profession’s quality. Many factors influence teacher motivation and work satisfaction in Nigeria, as they do worldwide. These aspects are divided into three categories by Adelabu (2005): job setting, job content, and reward system. In terms of the job market, Adelabu pointed out that Nigerian public schools are a collection of outdated structures, many of which lack bathrooms and other basic amenities. The schools are staffed by fatigued and disgruntled instructors, and the students are undernourished and dissatisfied. This type of working atmosphere is not conducive to great job satisfaction. However, when it comes to job content, he believes that teachers, particularly in primary schools, are severely overworked. A typical government teacher is responsible for teaching seven to eight periods each day to classes of more than forty students. Teachers are also expected to help with other school-based activities, which can be time-consuming. He also stated that the pay-for-performance system for teachers does not appear to have work motivation as a goal. In line with Adelabu’s categories, a large number of researches have found that teachers’ work satisfaction is positively associated to their wages (Gates, 1998). According to these research, a hike in pay was accompanied by a significant improvement in teacher job satisfaction. Chang and Smith (2010) found that teachers’ contentment with their pay was a major predictor of their work satisfaction and commitment in their research of administrative support and its mediation influence on US public school teachers. An rise in teachers’ salary satisfaction was followed by an increase in their report of work satisfaction and their intention to continue in the teaching profession. Similarly, Nielsen and Smyth (2008) discovered that personnel (e.g., teachers) who chose a job based on a good income were more likely to be satisfied with it. Other studies, on the other hand, demonstrate that low-paying instructors might have a negative impact on their work satisfaction. Sharma (2006) found that many (more than 90%) of the teachers in their study on work satisfaction in India were dissatisfied with their income, and that the majority of them thought they were not being paid fairly. As a result, teachers were forced to provide additional private tuition to supplement their income. Furthermore, Ogborugbo (2009) revealed that the majority of teachers (about 72 percent) were unsatisfied with their pay in a survey of teachers’ satisfaction with their employment in Nigerian public secondary schools. Employees at an organization, such as a school, may feel disgruntled if they believe their pay are unfairly distributed (Kim, 2005). Low and unjust teacher wages make it more difficult for them to meet their fundamental necessities, as well as meet their financial commitments and meet the expectations of their families. As a result, instructors grow irritated and unsatisfied with their jobs (Akiri, 2009). As previously said, teachers’ job happiness has a significant impact not only on their own lives, but also on the lives of their pupils and parents, as well as on the long-term sustainability of high-quality education. According to studies, the quality of education is determined by the professionalism and dedication of instructors. It is impossible to make good changes in schools without the involvement and dedication of teachers. Teachers’ quality and morale are critical to the success of any educational change (Kim, 2000). In light of this, the purpose of this research is to examine the impact of pay satisfaction on teacher commitment in a few chosen secondary schools in Oye Local Government, Ekiti State, Nigeria.

STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM

The primary goal of secondary school education is to teach students how to read, write, and calculate. Nakpodia is a fictional character created by Nakpodia (2011). Many secondary school graduates have recently been discovered to be unable to read or write effectively. According to the products of Nigerian secondary schools, the degree of performance and output of their instructors are both under doubt. Many Nigerians also avoid sending their children to public elementary or secondary schools since the students who attend these institutions are more likely to be illiterate. At my encounters with secondary school teachers in public or government-owned schools in Ekiti state, I’ve heard horror stories about their horrible working conditions. Secondary school instructors were enraged by the inconsistencies in their salary and stipend distributions (Amadioka, 2009). They are displeased with the school’s infrastructure, equipment, and general environment. Their offices are in poor condition. Most of the time, the most basic teaching aids are unavailable, and motivation is at an all-time low, such that a normal secondary school teacher constantly complains about job satisfaction and interest loss. They acknowledge that they have not given it their all and that educational standards are deteriorating (Elisheba, 2010). They spend the majority of the school year at home and at their small businesses since they are on strike most of the time, protesting the government’s lack of care for their well-being. As a result of the above, it is reasonable to assume that pay satisfaction is linked to a teacher’s dedication to their job. This is because when teachers feel irritated and dissatisfied, their morale suffers and their teaching effectiveness suffers (Izunghanum, 2008). However, because teacher performance is not the same as teacher commitment, the amount to which pay satisfaction might impact teaching commitment is unclear in the present literature. This study analyzes the impact of pay satisfaction on teacher commitment in selected secondary schools in Oye, Ekiti State, Nigeria.

OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY

The overarching goal of this study is to look at how pay satisfaction affects teacher commitment in a few secondary schools in Oye, Ekiti State, Nigeria.

The study’s particular goals are to:

RESEARCH QUESTIONS

i.What is the extent to which pay satisfaction impacts teachers’ work commitment in a few chosen secondary schools in Oye?

ii.What is the relationship between pay satisfaction and teacher commitment in Secondary Schools in Oye?

iii What is the motivational levels of instructors in a few secondary schools in Oye?

iv. What are the o the reasons that undermine teacher commitment in some of Oye’s secondary schools?

v. What are the recommendations for improving a teachers job motivation and commitment in a few chosen secondary schools in Oye?

SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STDUY

At the conclusion of this study, it is expected that major stakeholders in the education sector, such as the Ministry of Education, the National Policy on Education, and the government, will be better informed and able to formulate policies aimed at addressing salary issues and low teacher commitment in the Nigerian educational sector. This will assist to alleviate teacher unhappiness and enhance morale, allowing them to be more devoted to their work. It is also hoped that this study will spark greater interest in research and pave the way for a more in-depth investigation of the issues surrounding pay satisfaction and job commitment on a larger scale than that which has been explored in this study. It will also benefit the academic community by giving interested researchers insight into how to expand on the outcomes of this study.

SCOPE OF THE STUDY

The researcher fully acknowledges the fact that a research of this nature and significance should have covered a large number of teachers in Ekiti State teaching service commission, but unfortunately, the available resources made it impossible for a study of that magnitude. As a result, the study was limited to ten public Senior Secondary Schools teachers in Oye Local Government Area of Ekiti State, Nigeria.

DEFINITION OF TERMS

Satisfaction is the degree to which employees have a good attitude toward working for the company.

Pay satisfaction is defined as a teacher’s perceived degree of satisfaction with their pay and recompense in the teaching profession in this research study.

Teacher: A teacher is an educator who transforms educational philosophy and objectives into knowledge and abilities in the classroom.

Commitment of the teacher: The degree of positive, emotive link between the instructor and the school is described here as commitment.

Job satisfaction is concerned with how well an employee’s job expectations are aligned with the results.