0

UNIVERSITY OF EDUCATION, WINNEBA

COLLEGE OF TECHNOLOGY EDUCATION, KUMASI
DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATIONAL LEADERSHIP
MASTER OF ART IN EDUCATIONAL LEADERSHIP

COURSE TITLE

RESEARCH METHODS

COURSE CODE

MAL 511

LECTURER

DR MARTIN AMOAH

NAME

GIFTY MARY OWUSU-SEKYERE

REFERENCE NUMBER :

179502

DATE

5TH SEPTEMBER, 2012

ABSTRACT

The purpose of the study was to determine job satisfaction and morale among teachers as
perceived by the teachers in the public and private schools in the Kumasi metropolis. It was also
to find out whether there was any relation between the demographics of teachers' and their level
of satisfaction. From the population of teachers, a random sample of141
was surveyed. A 27-item survey developed by the researcher was given to public and private
school teachers to investigate their job security issues, motivations, salaries, other facilities to
enhance their teaching and level of satisfaction with the teaching profession. The Statistical
Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) was used to analyse the data into frequency distribution
tables. Spearsmans Correlation Coefficients were used to test for significance of the correlation.
The study showed that generally, teachers are not satisfied with the teaching profession and that
teachers in the public schools are more satisfied than their counterparts in private schools. It was
also confirmed that there exist correlation between salary rating and years of work and that
teachers level of satisfaction will improve if they further their education. More so despite the
fact that there is difference in the level of importance teachers attach to job satisfaction concepts,
there is no significant association considering risk valve of 0.05.
It has therefore been recommended that the government of the day should pay attention to issues
that affect the welfare of teachers in private and public schools in the Kumasi metropolis
by organising regular durbars during which the problems of teachers especially those in the private
sector will be discussed so as to improve their level of satisfaction. In addition the government

should make it possible to train all teachers in both private and public schools to acquire basic
skills in computing.
This research will hopefully be used as a tool to help the government reach the common goal of
assisting teachers in both institutions especially private school teachers to be satisfied in the field
of education.

INTRODUCTION
Generally it is being said that teachers are not satisfied with their teaching
profession. The speculation further indicates that teachers in the public
school are more satisfied with their chosen profession than their counterpart
in the private school. Teachers from the public and private school within the
Kumasi metropolis were therefore selected randomly and surveyed to
evaluate their opinion so as to substantiate the claims. If the information
provided by the teachers is noteworthy then it could be used as bases for
decision making otherwise rejected
Results and Discussion

Table 1: Results of demographic features of the responding teachers

Variable

Institution
Public

Private

Total

Male

55

34

89

Female
Age group

39

10

49

20 and below

21 30

39

24

63

31-40

25

34

41-50

17

19

51-60

12

12

Above 60
Highest qualification

Masters

30

34

Bachelor

21

24

3 - years

16

17

Gender

Cert A

HND

28

29

SSS

Table 1 shows 141 surveys distributed erratically to teachers in the public and private schools in
the Kumasi Metropolis. Out of the 141 participants, 89 were males of which 55 and 34 were
teachers from the public and private schools respectively. Among the 49 females, 39 were from
the public school while 10 teachers were from the private schools.
It is obvious from the findings that more than half (63) of the respondents were within the age
group of 21 -30 years whiles the minority (1 & 9) of the respondents were in the age groups
above 60 years and below 20 years respectively.
The analysis also reveals that most (30) of the teachers in the public schools hold Masters
Qualification whereas their counterparts in the private schools were only 4.
21 public school teachers hold a Bachelor Degree whiles 3 teachers from the private school hold
Bachelor degree. More than one-fourth (28) of the teachers in the private school holds HND with
only (1) public school teacher holding HND as the highest educational level attained.
Table 2: Teachers opinion on promotion, condition of service and job security issues
Variable

Public
Yes(N)
17(58.6%)

Private
Yes (N)
12(41.4%

condition of service?
2. Do you stand a chance of being promoted?

87(82.1%)

)
19(17.9%

3. Does promotion in your school come with

85(85.0%)

)
15(15.0%

71(74.7%)

)
24(25.3%

teacher?
5. Have you ever been promoted as a teacher?
6. Do you think your job as a teacher in this

57(83.8%)
83(92.2%)

)
11(16.2%)
7(7.8%)

institution is secure?
7. Do you like your status as a teacher?

73(74.5%)

25(25.5%

1. Do you have fringe benefits attached to your

increase in salary?
4. Have you ever had in-service training as a

Findings from Table (2) above indicates that teachers in the public and private schools in the
Kumasi Metropolis share different thought on promotion, condition of service and job security
issues. Majority (82.1%; n=87) teachers in the public schools admitted that they stand the chance
of being promoted compare to minority (17.9%; n=19) teachers in the private schools. As to
whether promotion in schools come with increase in salary, (85.0%; n=85) teachers in the public
school responded Yes while only (15%; n=15) teachers in the private sector also responded
Yes. Job security happens to be high (92.2%; n=83) in the respondent from the public
institution and very low (7.8%; n=7) in the private school. (74.5%; n=73) public school teachers
responded Yes to the fact that they like their status as teachers.
It is evident from Table 2 that about one-fourth (25.5%; n=25) private school teachers gave much
attention to the fact that they like their status as teachers than all the other counterpart factors.
Salaries of private and public school teachers.
It is clear from Table 3 that the average maximum monthly salaries enjoyed by the teachers in the
public schools were GH 600.00 as compared to their private counterparts who receives GH
450.00.Also the minimum average monthly salaries of the public and private schools teachers
were GH 66.00 and GH 15.00 respectively. It appears that public school teachers in the
Kumasi Metropolis are well paid. This is depicted by Table 3
Table 3: Comparison of the monthly salaries of private and public school teachers.
Institutions

Monthly Salary
Mean (SD)

Min

Max

Public

294.04 (103.50)

66.00

600.00

Private

115.90 (8 4.34)

15.00

450.00

Total

409.94(187.8)

81.00

1050.00

Important factors that influence teachers job satisfaction

Findings in respect of Table 4 below indicates that certain factors influences teachers job
satisfaction and that teachers in the Kumasi Metropolis rated all the factors above(4) meaning all
the factors were considered by teachers as very important in influencing their job satisfaction.
The mean rating indicates that, Know what is expected of me at work (M=4.72, ranking=1) is the
most important factor to the satisfaction of teachers, followed by Have the opportunity to learn
and grow (M=4.70, ranking=2), and Have materials and equipment needed to do my work
(M=4.55, ranking=3).
However the teachers consider My opinion counts (M=4.33, ranking=7) as the least important
factor that can influence their job satisfaction.
Table 4: Mean rating of factors that influence teachers job satisfaction
Factors
1. Know what is expected of me at work
2. Have material and equipment needed to do my work
3. Have the opportunity to do what I do best everyday
4. Have the opportunity to learn and grow
5. Co-workers committed to doing quality work
6. My opinion counts
7. Have received recognition of praise for good work

N
140
142
140
138
140
140
139

Mean rating
4.72
4.55
4.40
4.70
4.45
4.33
4.45

Ranking
1
3
6
2
4
7
4

Factors perceived by teachers to improve their level of satisfaction

Table 5 below shows the factors that can be use to improve teachers level of satisfaction. The
report reveals that teachers in the Kumasi Metropolis consider all the factors as either very
important or important in improving their level of satisfaction. Respondents further indicated that
Incentives (99.3%), Students BECE (98.6%), Your Salary (98.6%) and Students Performance
(98.6%) were the four most important factors that can be use to improve their level of
satisfaction.
However, Publishing of students results (88.7%), Rewards (89.3%) and Involvement in decision
making (89.4%) were the three less important factors teachers consider to improve their level of
satisfaction.
Table 5: Factors that can be use to improve teachers level of satisfaction

Factors

Very Important or

Not important or

Important
1. Students results at BECE
2. Your salary
3. Students performance in class
4. School facilities
5. Relationship with superior
6. Incentive
7. Well stock library
8. Salaries or Wages
9. Teachers Motivational Fund
10. Staff training
11. Information availability and communication
12. Involvement in decision making process
13. Recognized for good work done
14. Rewards
15. Publishing of students result
16. Condition of service

not important at all

N (%)
138(98.6)
139(98.6)
139(98.6)
139(98.6)
127(90.7)
140(99.3)
137(97.1)
132(93.6)
129(91.5)
134(95.0)
129(91.5)
126(89.4)
126(90.0)
127(89.3)
125(88.7)
127(90.0)

N (%)
2(1.4)
2(1.4)
2(1.4)
2(1.4)
13(9.3)
1(0.7)
4(2.8)
9(6.3)
12(8.6)
7(5.0)
12(8.5)
15(10.6)
14(10.0)
15(10.6)
16(11.3)
14(10.0)

Table 6: Association between profile of teachers and level of satisfaction

Variable

Satisfaction with the teaching profession

Salary rating

Age

.149

-.084

Years worked

(.080)
.103

(.326)
-.157

Educational level

(.229)
.284

(.065)
.147

Class handle

(.001)
-.041

(.087)
.223

How far do you commute?

(.638)
-.084

(.009)
.037

(.328)

(.667)

Values in the parenthesis are the p-values

The findings in respect of Table 6 above are the relationship between profile of teachers and their
level of satisfaction. It is also evident in Table 6 that salary ratings of teachers show no

relationship with all the demographic constructs. This is proven by the fact that all the
probability values are higher than the risk value of 0.05. However teachers satisfaction with the
teaching profession has a positive but weak significant (P = 0.001) relationship with educational
level of teachers. There were no significant with the other demographics. This explains that the
level of satisfaction of teachers might be improved if they have the chance to attain higher
qualification.
The importance that private and public teachers attach to job satisfaction
Answer to task 7 was sought by calculating the means of the responses and comparing these
means with the level of importance private and public teachers attach to job satisfaction
constructs. The mean scores calculated from the responses were used to determine the job
satisfaction levels of both institutions. Teachers in both institution rated all the job satisfaction
concepts either 4 or above. This indicates that teachers attach much importance to all the job
satisfaction concepts. However, the highest overall satisfactions mean ratings differ in
institutions. Thus public school teachers see have the opportunity to learn and grow as the overall
highest (M=4.75) job satisfaction whereas private teachers sees have materials and equipment
needed to do my work as their highest (M=4.75) satisfaction. However both institutions rated
know what is expected of me at work as the second highest (M=4.47; M=4.74) satisfaction score
for private and public institutions respectively. Also private and public school teachers are of the
same view that supervisors seems to care about me as a person is the lowest (M=3.84; M=4.20)
job satisfaction concepts for both institutions. Despite the fact that there is difference in the level
of importance teachers attach to job satisfaction concepts, there is no significant association
considering a risk value of 0.05. This is depicted by Table 7

Table 7: Private and public teachers level of importance attach to job satisfaction.
Variable

Private

Public

t- value (sig.value)

Know what is expected of me at work

Have materials and equipment needed to do my

4.47
4.75

4.74
4.44

-.491 (.625)
1.882 (.062)

work
Have opportunity to do what I do best everyday
Supervisor seems to care about me as a person
Have the opportunity learn and grow
Co-workers committed to doing quality work
My opinion counts
Have received recognition of praise for good work

4.43
3.84
4.56
4.28
4.16
4.44

4.39
4.20
4.75
4.53
4.40
4.43

.245 (.807)
-1.373 (.174)
-1.418 (.161)
-1.290 (.202)
-1.084 (.282)
.060 (.953)

M = mean rating. Values in the parenthesis are the significant values

TABLE 8: Distance covered to school

Frequenc
y
Percent
Valid less than
1km

Valid
Percent

Cumulative
Percent

27

19.1

19.1

19.1

1-2km

35

24.8

24.8

44.0

3-5km

31

22.0

22.0

66.0

4-6km

17

12.1

12.1

78.0

7-9km

15

10.6

10.6

88.7

more than
9km

16

11.3

11.3

100.0

141

100.0

100.0

Total

How far teachers commute from home to school.

Presented in Figure 1 below is the distance teachers travel from their homes to their various
schools. More than half (65.9% ; n=93) of the teachers responded to be travelling either between
less than 1km and 1-4km.With reference to Figure 1 (34.0% ; n=48) respondents reported to be
travelling between 4-7km and more than 9km to school. Teachers should therefore be provided
with accommodation near school premises to boost their satisfaction level.

FIGURE 1: Distance travel by respondents

11.30%

MORE THAN 9KM

10.60%

7-9KM

12.10%

5-6KM

22.00%

3-4KM

24.80%

1-2KM
19.10%

LESSTHAN 1KM
0.00%

5.00%

10.00% 15.00% 20.00% 25.00%

Conclusion
After reviewing the results of the study it is evident that teachers in general are not satisfied in
the field of education especially those in the private schools in the Kumasi Metropolis. Attention
should therefore be given to the private schools by improving their satisfactory level through
increased of salaries, fringe benefits and given them the opportunity to upgrade themselves.
Again teachers in the private schools must think differently and be ready to accept
professionalism and discard the status quo within their confide area. The government of the day
should also make it possible to train all teachers in both private and public schools to acquire
basic skills in computing. Teachers level of satisfaction at all cost will surely increase students
performance.

10