Factors Affecting Teacher Motivation In Public Secondary Schools In Thika West District, Kiambu County

ABSTRACT

Teacher motivation plays an important role in the promotion of teaching and learning excellence. Generally, motivated teachers are more likely to motivate students to learn in the classroom, to ensure the implementation of educational reforms and feelings of satisfaction and fulfillment. While teacher motivation is fundamental to the teaching and learning process, several teachers are not highly motivated. This observation should be taken seriously and an investigation into the factors influencing teacher motivation was therefore necessary to achieve the educational goals in every learning institution. The purpose of the study was to determine the factors affecting teacher motivation in public secondary schools in Thika West District. The study was guided by the following objectives: to establish the effect of job satisfaction on teacher motivation in public secondary schools, to determine the effect of reward system on the motivation of teachers, to find the effect of training and development on teacher motivation and to determine the effect of work situational factors on teacher motivation in public secondary schools in Thika West District. Descriptive research design was used for the study. The study targeted the principals and teachers of the public secondary schools in the district. The district has 16 public secondary schools. Random sampling technique was used to select teachers while purposive sampling technique was used to select the principals. Out of the 16 schools in the district, 2 schools were used for piloting while the remaining 14 were used in the actual study. A total of 126 respondents participated in the study (constituted 112 teachers and 14 principals). Questionnaires were used to collect data from teachers while interview schedules were used to collect data from principals. Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) was used to analyze the quantitative data where descriptive statistics such as means, standard deviation, frequencies and percentages were used to describe the data. Content analysis was used to analyze qualitative data from the interview with the principals. The study found that job satisfaction affects employee motivation. This was evidenced by the fact that leadership and promotional opportunity elsewhere influence job satisfaction to a large extent as indicated by 57% and 67% respectively. The study also found that perceived fairness in teacher promotion system influence job satisfaction among teachers to a small extent and that work environment/conditions influenced job satisfaction among teachers to a large extent. It was found that the reward system affects teacher motivation. This was evidenced by the fact that 53% of the respondents strongly disagreed with the statement that the pay given to teachers is worth the services they render. On the effect of training on motivation, the study found that training affects teacher motivation as indicated by 93%. The study found that 71% of the respondents strongly agreed with the statement that training improves teachers‘ confidence, thus improving their performance in terms of curriculum delivery. Regarding the effect of work-situational factors on teacher motivation, the study found that 47% of the respondents strongly agreed that inadequacy of teaching and learning resources in schools de-motivates teachers. The study also found that 40% of the respondents strongly disagreed with the statement that availability of tight rules and regulations in schools, tight education policies in schools and arrangement of offices and the spaces available in the offices affects teacher motivation. From the findings of the study, it was concluded that job satisfaction, reward systems, professional training and development and work situational-factors affect employee motivation. The study recommends that schools should ensure that the school environment is conducive for teachers to ensure their motivation and satisfaction with their jobs. This can be achieved by ensuring that there are adequate teaching and learning resources. The study finally recommends that another study be done in other districts on the effect of school leadership style on teacher motivation which was not the concern of the study.