The Prevalence of Occupational Stress Among Secondary School Teachers
Chapter One
Objective of the study
The objectives of the study;
- To ascertain whether school physical environmental factors responsible for stressful experience among senior secondary school teachers
- To ascertain the work related factors responsible for stressful experience among senior secondary school teachers
- To ascertain the different coping strategies for stress among senior secondary school teachers
CHAPTER TWO
REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE
Theoretical Framework
This study was based on person-environment (PE) Fit theory of stress. This the most widely accepted framework for conducting research on job-stress (Brewer & McMahan, 2004; Edwards, Caplan & Harrison, 1998; Edwards & Cooper, 1990; Kokkinos, 2007; Spielberger & Vagg, 1999). PE Fit theory of stress asserts that the interaction between an individual and his or her environment determines whether or not a situation is stressful for that person. It assumes that human behaviour is a function of the person and the environment, and that a person’s vocational satisfaction, stability and achievement depend on the congruence or fit between the person’s personality and the environment in which the person works (Herr, Cramer, & Niles, 2004; Kokkinos, 2007; Salami, 2006). In the context of the worksite, the individual’s attributes are interests, transferable skills, career motives and values, personality preferences, career orientations, self-concept and sense of self-efficacy. The work environment includes individual’s expectations and perceptions regarding workload, control over one’s work, tangible and intrinsic rewards of work, the relationship and sense of community among co-workers, perceptions of fairness in the worksite and the role of personal and organizational values (Herr, Cramer, & Niles, 2004). Stress results if the fit between an individual and environment is incompatible. Similarly, lack of fit between the demands placed on individuals and their abilities to meet those demands can result in stress. Though there are evidences that stress occurs as a result of complex interaction between individual characteristics and issues in the work environment, research has not systematically considered the role of person variables, such as gender, in this direction especially studying the manifestation of stress among secondary school teachers in the area of the present study. Charlie (2001) noted that there is gender based differences in teachers’ stress. Ahlberg, Kononen, Rantala, Sarna, Lindholm and Nissinen (2003) also approved to the fact that females are more exposed to stress than their male counterparts. According to Abosede (2004), female workers are more stressed because they attempt to strike a balance between professional and home responsibilities
SYNTHESIS OF LITERATURE ON LEVELS OF STRESS
In America, Fisher (2011) in his study on factors influencing stress, burnout, and retention of secondary schools found out that teachers burnout levels between new and experienced teachers were significantly different, with novice teachers having higher burnout, but their difference in stress levels was not statistically significant. Siddiqui (2012) in a study in India on occupational stress in teachers: a comparative study of public and private schools in Hyderabad city found out that it was a fact that teachers working in public schools as compared to working in private schools lack resources like advanced technologies such as Internet and variety of teaching methods are not available for them. Somehow, these could be considered contributing factors to their stress level. Siddiqui (2012) in Hyderabad city did a comparative study between teachers working in private and public schools using the Ardu version of the occupational stress developed by Sohail and Khanun (2000). Teachers working in private schools should not be compared to those in public schools because the two schools are under different management and they can access new methods of technology like internet while those in most public schools struggle with minimum resources, this study was general.
CHAPTER THREE
RESEARCH METHODOLOGY
Research design
The researcher used descriptive research survey design in building up this project work the choice of this research design was considered appropriate because of its advantages of identifying attributes of a large population from a group of individuals. The design was suitable for the study as the study sought to the Prevalence of Occupational Stress Among Secondary School Teachers
Sources of data collection
Data were collected from two main sources namely:
(i)Primary source and
(ii)Secondary source
Primary source:
These are materials of statistical investigation which were collected by the research for a particular purpose. They can be obtained through a survey, observation questionnaire or as experiment; the researcher has adopted the questionnaire method for this study.
Secondary source:
These are data from textbook Journal handset etc. they arise as byproducts of the same other purposes. Example administration, various other unpublished works and write ups were also used.
Population of the study
Population of a study is a group of persons or aggregate items, things the researcher is interested in getting information on the Prevalence of Occupational Stress Among Secondary School Teachers. 200 staffs of selected secondary school in Uyo, Akwa Ibom state was selected randomly by the researcher as the population of the study.
CHAPTER FOUR
PRESENTATION ANALYSIS INTERPRETATION OF DATA
Introduction
Efforts will be made at this stage to present, analyze and interpret the data collected during the field survey. This presentation will be based on the responses from the completed questionnaires. The result of this exercise will be summarized in tabular forms for easy references and analysis. It will also show answers to questions relating to the research questions for this research study. The researcher employed simple percentage in the analysis.
CHAPTER FIVE
SUMMARY, CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATION
Introduction
It is important to ascertain that the objective of this study was to ascertain the Prevalence of Occupational Stress Among Secondary School Teachers. In the preceding chapter, the relevant data collected for this study were presented, critically analyzed and appropriate interpretation given. In this chapter, certain recommendations made which in the opinion of the researcher will be of benefits in addressing the challenges of the Prevalence of Occupational Stress Among Secondary School Teachers
Summary
This study was on the Prevalence of Occupational Stress Among Secondary School Teachers. Three objectives were raised which included: To ascertain whether school physical environmental factors responsible for stressful experience among senior secondary school teachers, to ascertain the work related factors responsible for stressful experience among senior secondary school teachers and to ascertain the different coping strategies for stress among senior secondary school teachers. In line with these objectives, two research hypotheses were formulated and two null hypotheses were posited. The total population for the study is 200 staffs of selected secondary schools in Uyo, Akwa Ibom state The researcher used questionnaires as the instrument for the data collection. Descriptive Survey research design was adopted for this study. A total of 133 respondents made up principals, vice principals adm, teachers and junior staffs were used for the study. The data collected were presented in tables and analyzed using simple percentages and frequencies
Conclusion
Based on the findings of the study, it was concluded that, the sources of occupational stress for teachers Uyo are mainly environmental factors such as: inadequate facilities and equipment, noise arising from overcrowded classrooms, absence of power supply and heat in the office/staff room and work-related factors which include: workload, number of subjected allocated to each teacher, large class size, number of classes given to teachers to teach, assessment and writing weekly lesson plan.
Recommendation
- Government should build more classrooms in all the public secondary schools to reduce the class size to avoid stressing teachers while in class.
- The Ministry of Education in collaboration with Non-governmental Organizations should make fund available to build more offices for teachers in the public schools to reduce the congestion of teachers in a single staff room, this will make them to be more relaxed, focused and do their work better with minimal stress.
- The government should employ more teachers as the number of students admitted is increasing rapidly in the secondary schools to ensure that a teacher is not given a work overload due to insufficient number of teachers in the school.
- The teachers should make out time for themselves for recreation.
- The school administrators should organize recreation programmes for the teachers such as teachers’ social gathering on weekly basis to ease the stress on them.
References
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- Gebrekirstos, H. A. (2015). Occupational stress among secondary school teachers and their coping strategies. The case of central zone of Tigray Region. International Journal of Academic Research in Education and Review, 3(6), 143-157.
- Johannsen, S. E. (2011). An Analysis of the Occupational Stress Factors Identified by Certified Teachers. Retrieved from https://www.mobt3ath.com/uplode/book/book-22963.pdf.
- Klassen, R. M., Usher, E. L. & Bong, M. (2010). Teachers’ Collective Efficacy, Job Satisfaction, and Job Stress in Cross-Cultural Context’. The Journal of Experimental Education, 78(4), 464- 486.
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