An investigation into teacher job satisfaction in selected secondary schools in the Khomas Education Region, Namibia
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Date
2021
Authors
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Journal ISSN
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Publisher
University of Namibia
Abstract
The global demand for qualified teachers has prompted much research regarding the
reduction of teacher turnover and attrition. This study employed a sequential, mixed
method approach, administering a questionnaire followed by semi-structured
interviews. Participant responses to the Minnesota Satisfaction Questionnaires (MSQ)
were analysed to determine the general level of satisfaction among secondary school
teachers in the Khomas Region of Namibia. Furthermore, the MSQ assessed which of
its 20 sub-categories caused the most dissatisfaction among teachers. Satisfaction
scores derived from the data analysis of the MSQ were compared to biographical
markers of the participants, such as age, gender, culture, level of education, years of
experience and type of school. Participating schools were selected by means of
stratified random sampling, and interview participants were selected based on their
general satisfaction scores on the MSQ. Interview data were interpreted through
thematic content analysis and triangulated with the questionnaire findings. It was
found that teachers in the Khomas Education Region were generally "satisfied" to
"very satisfied" with their jobs. Teachers were found to be more dissatisfied with
categories, such as compensation, advancement, company policies and practices,
social status and authority. No statistically significant differences could be established
between satisfaction and age, culture or gender. Furthermore, it was established that,
while staff members at rural government schools were generally more satisfied than
those at urban government schools and private schools, such differences were not
statistically significant. The interviews indicated that funding for education was
problematic in the Khomas Education Region, while specifically teachers from
government schools cited a lack of learning materials and teaching resources as a
source of frustration; private school teachers confirmed that there was much room for
improvement. Furthermore, the participants iterated that the social standing of a
teacher, coupled with an inadequate salary, was the cause of much of the
disengagement ofteachers
Description
A Mini-thesis submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the Degree of
Master of Educational Psychology Guidance and Counselling
Keywords
Qualified teachers, Teacher turnover and attrition, Secondary schools, Job satisfaction