Teachers’ Career Satisfaction and Students’ Academic Performance in Delta Public Secondary Schools

Abstract

This study examined the influence of teachers’ gender, educational and teaching experience on teacher’s career satisfaction. It further looked at the contribution of the limited literature on teachers’ career satisfaction in developing countries like Nigeria. It critically examined the influence of teachers’ gender, educational and teaching experience on teachers’ career satisfaction and students’ academic performance. The instrument used for the study was tagged teachers’ career satisfaction questionnaire (TCSQ). The instrument had a reliable coefficient of 0.87. The result of the analysis showed that female teachers were slightly more satisfied than male teachers: the higher the educational attainment of teachers the lower the teachers’ career satisfaction; and that the most experienced teachers were least satisfied. Sources of dissatisfaction are low salary structure, low public image and lack of self esteem of teachers, due to the fact that highly qualified and experienced teachers are not being rewarded adequately. Some factors are predictable but other are less so having to do with societal values of teachers in Nigeria. It was recommended that government and other stakeholders in education should implement measures that will ensure a high level of career satisfaction for teachers in all ramifications. DOI: 10.5901/jesr.2014.v4n1p267