Private Secondary School Teachers Research Articles

Psychological morbidity, job satisfaction and intentions to quit among teachers in private secondary schools in edo-state, Nigeria

Teachers are an inseparable corner stone of the society and their satisfaction will affect the quality of service they render. Poor job satisfaction could result in job stress and this could affect their psychological health. This study aims to ascertain the level, causes of job dissatisfaction, intentions to quit and psychological morbidity among teachers in private secondary schools in a developing country. A cross-sectional study was conducted among teachers (392) in private secondary schools in Benin-City, Edo-State Nigeria, between June 2003 to November 2003. A total population of 400 teachers who had spent at least one year in the service were included in the study. The respondents completed a self-administered designed questionnaire and a standard instrument--The General Health Questionnaire (GHQ 28) The response rate was 98%. Fifty-eight (14.8%) of the respondents had psychological morbidity (GHQ score of 4 and above). One hundred and seventy-eight (45.4%) teachers were very satisfied or satisfied with their jobs. A significant number (45.9%) of teachers would want to quit their jobs. The proportion of teachers with GHQ score 4 and above increased with the level of dissatisfaction but this was not found to be statistically significant. Poor salary was found to be the main cause of job dissatisfaction and major reason for wanting to quit the job. This study shows a low level of job satisfaction among Nigerian teachers. Poor salary was the major cause of job dissatisfaction and intention to quit. Further work need to be done to ascertain the association of psychological morbidity and job dissatisfaction.

Filipino teachers’ experiences of supportive relationships with colleagues: A narrative-biographical inquiry

The purpose of this qualitative study is to explore teachers’ experiences of supportive relationships with colleagues. A total of fifty (50) public and private elementary and secondary school teachers in the central part of the Philippines were purposively selected as respondents. Guided by a narrative-biographical interview, results of the study yielded four significant themes that describe how Filipino teachers as relational people experience and interpret supportive relationships in the school setting. These include: supportive relationships as (1) a life-giving force; (2) an extension of one’s family; (3) a reciprocal process; and (4) a work still in progress.