TEACHER SATISFACTION IN PERFORMANCE: THE CASE OF KASSENA-NANKANAWEST DISTRICT

Abstract

Teacher job satisfaction has become an important issue in recent times given the key role of teachers in imparting knowledge and skills. It is for this reason that this study employed qualitative research tools to investigate the causes and effects of teacher job dissatisfaction on teacher performance in the Kassena-Nankana West District of the Upper East Region of Ghana. There were a total of 209 respondents, including teachers, head teachers, district educational administrators and parents. The results of the study indicated that the factors causing teacher dissatisfaction in the KNWD were numerous and grouped into School, Teacher, Community and Psychological factors. Teacher workload, lack or inadequate teacher accommodation, poor school management, poor physical working environment, poor supervision of schools, promotion challenges, and student indiscipline was classified as school factors. The teacher factors had to do with inadequate professional status of the teacher due to inadequate pre-service and in-service training for teachers and teacher relationship with colleague teachers and students. Community factors were poor access roads and remoteness, student engagement in household chores, lack of electricity and limited communication and transportation services. The Psychological factors included bad government policies, low social status of teachers, bad conduct of teacher union leadership, long scheme of service of the Ghana Education Service and government inability to respect the conditions of service for teachers. Job dissatisfaction of teachers stimulates negative behavior which affects teacher performance negatively. In order to improve teacher job satisfaction and step up student academic performance, the study recommended the adoption of a holistic approach aimed at minimizing teacher dissatisfaction in the District.