AN EVALUATION OF EFFECTIVE MANAGEMENT OF TEACHERS’ JOB-RELATED STRESS IN SOME SELECTED PRIMARY SCHOOLS

CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

1.1     Background to the Study

Education aims to teach students new skills, information, cultures, attitudes, and behaviors as well as creative solutions to problems that arise every day in developing nations like Nigeria. According to UNESCO (2010), the goal of education is to develop human capital capable of effectively converting other resources into high-value output for improved quality of life. As the primary source of information, the teacher must be motivated, healthy, and satisfied with their work if high-quality education is to be achieved. Unfortunately, previous research demonstrates that teachers frequently experience stress at work, preventing them from achieving the desired high levels of performance, which in turn causes ineffective instruction and delays in national and global growth (Kyriacou & Chien, 2004). According to Borg & Chao (2010), many academics believe that teachers become stressed, ill, perform poorly, and eventually leave the profession as a result of work dissatisfaction brought on by a variety of circumstances (stressors). To counterbalance both the stress-inducing signals that teachers receive from this culture and profession and the demoralizing, self-defeating ideas that some of them continue to tell themselves, they need understanding, support, and voices of reason. Many of the symptoms of stress are so common that people think they are normal, even expected, because people live busy, productive lives. Teachers ought to be familiar with fundamental facts regarding the nefarious and frequently fatal effects of stress on individuals throughout their lives. Mgbodile Grace (2004) discovered a few factors that contribute to the stress experienced by secondary school teachers. Inadequate school discipline, time constraints brought on by a heavy workload, and negative attitudes toward work among students; incompetence of the teacher and a lack of faith in his abilities; The frequent and arbitrary changes in school policy, as well as the non-payment or delayed payment of teacher salaries, are examples of bureaucratic interference. Among teachers, signs of stress and burnout include apathy, negativism, low morale, boredom, anxiety, frustration, weariness, sadness, alienation, anger/irritability, medical issues (such as headaches and stomachaches), and absenteeism. According to Okere and Onyechi (2007), the extreme form of stress is typically referred to when discussing stress and its negative effects.

Teachers are well aware of the ongoing stress they experience as a result of their jobs. Their performance is affected as a result. Teacher job performance, as defined by Nayyar and Naomi (1994), is the degree to which a teacher fulfills a particular task or obligation in accordance with established standards or criteria. According to Cheng and Tsu, “teacher performance” refers to an instructor’s behavior that varies depending on the context in which the instructor successfully completes a particular task or obligation. 1998). However, the teacher’s stress prevents him from effectively performing this task or duty. According to Tahir Almumin (2011), a teacher’s overall performance is impacted by low student satisfaction, poor teaching quality, and teacher turnover. According to Brown and Ralph (1999), some of the effects of stress on teachers include the following: Increased introversion, irritability with coworkers, unwillingness to cooperate, frequent irrational disagreements at work, substance abuse, persistent negative thoughts, loss of appetite, and tendency to get into accidents are all signs of this. Loss of confidence and motivation, inability to manage line or delegate, feelings of alienation and inadequacy, increasing introversion, irritability with coworkers, unwillingness to cooperate, and frequent irrational conflict at work If the school system is experiencing rising dissatisfaction as a result of poor leadership, the school principal is unlikely to get the cooperation of his subordinates (Brown and Ralph, 1999). These symptoms include a decrease in work performance and output, a loss Because his subordinates appear to be either terrified of him or afraid to come into contact with his harassing behavior, the school principal—or any superior officer, for that matter—feels “alone” when the problem gets worse. He has a tendency to become enraged at everyone in his immediate environment when he is unable to enlist the assistance of his subordinates. This position does not suit him, and neither do his subordinates. In the end, the school’s goals won’t be achieved. This study looks at how to manage teachers’ work-related stress in a few primary schools in Ogun state.

1.2 Problem Statement It is generally acknowledged that stress cannot be avoided for as long as one lives; So, the problem is how to deal with it. Teaching and learning thrive in the secondary and elementary school systems (Brown and Ralph, 1999). Stress significantly hinders teachers’ ability to address classroom issues. It may have a negative impact on their teaching style, which ultimately affects the academic quality of their students, if primary school teachers are unable to effectively manage their stress. The emotional, cognitive, and psychological functions of a teacher are compromised when they are under stress. To teach effectively and efficiently, teachers must therefore be able to manage stress effectively when it occurs. So, how do primary school teachers manage their stress? In light of this, the issue of how to effectively manage teachers’ job-related stress in a few selected primary schools is the focus of this study.

1.3 The Study’s Goals The study’s overarching goal is to investigate how well teachers’ job-related stress is managed in a few particular primary schools. The specific goals are as follows:

to investigate the factors that contribute to stress in primary school teachers in Ogun State.

to ascertain how stress affects primary school teachers in Ogun State.

to find out how primary school teachers in Ogun State deal with stress in a positive way.

1.4 Research Questions Some of the questions the study aims to answer are as follows:

What factors contribute to primary school teachers in Ogun State’s job-related stress?

In Ogun State, how does stress affect primary school teachers?

What methods do primary school teachers in Ogun State use to effectively manage stress?

1.5 Importance of the Study The purpose of this study is to assess how well teachers’ job-related stress is managed in particular primary schools. Academics will have access to data or literature based on the study’s findings for future research. Since many workers are affected by stress and employing management strategies is a responsibility of every organization, the study will benefit society as a whole. The findings of the study will assist head teachers in determining the stress management techniques that can be implemented in primary schools to address stress issues and improve teacher commitment and retention.

 

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