ABSTRACT
This research examined the impact of teacher workload and teacher job performance at selected secondary schools in Education District IV of Lagos State. The objectives of the study were to ascertain what constitutes teacher workload and teacher job performance. In addition, to examine the impact of several variables such as number of teaching subjects, teaching periods, class sizes, teaching and non-teaching activities on effective classroom teaching as well as establish the impact of teacher workload on teacher job performance. Eight research questions and research hypotheses were stated to guide the study. The research design was descriptive survey in nature where questionnaire was developed for data used for the study. A total number of 250 teachers were used for the study. Findings of the research indicated that gender difference did not exist in the views about teacher workload and job performance among the teachers. Results also showed that the number of teaching subjects, subject periods, teaching and non-teaching activities did not impact negatively on the teaching and learning situation. However, large class sizes negatively affected teachers’ effective classroom teaching and learning. On a final note, the finding further showed that teacher workloads have negative impact on teachers’ job performance in school. Recommendations were made following the outcomes of the research findings. They include the need to train more teachers to handle specific tasks in secondary schools, and principals in secondary schools should not overload and on the other hand under load teachers to ensure their optimal use. Management needs to properly motivate teachers in order to make them feel satisfied and perform well in their job. Teachers should only be assigned to teach the subjects they were trained for to avoid sapping their energies.
CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
Background to the Study
The concept of workload has become a subject of renewed interest for researchers and educationists alike both nationally and internationally. Researchers have indicated some definitive concepts with respect to the workload of Nigerian teachers: the workloads of Nigerian teachers are intensifying, their non-teaching roles are becoming significantly more extensive, and teachers are being asked to take on responsibilities for which they are not properly trained (Adu, Titilola and Ifeoma, 2013; Onyene, 2004). Reasons for these are attributed to increase demand for education that has resulted to increase enrolment in schools.
As aptly noted by Akinsolu (2011), overpopulated classrooms are considered to be un-conducive for both teachers and students alike as the burden on teachers with respect to implementing, marking of scripts and other continuous assessments as well as the ability to give individualized attention to students needing extra help may appear to increase teacher workload in schools. On the part of the students, it has resulted into poor learning and high drop out from schools.
Meanwhile, teacher workload is viewed as the totality of academic teaching work and committee workload assigned to a teacher for the attainment of the overall educational objectives in the school (Adu, Oshati and Ifeoma, 2013). The demands of teaching can be overwhelming for teachers. Workload has no well-defined limits; it is essentially open-ended. While contracts with principal or school management appear to define expectations regarding teacher workload, contract terms represent minimum requirements. To respond to the needs of every student, a teacher tends to do far more than is required and some try to do more than they can physically manage. In Nigeria, research has shown that the demand to educate the teeming population has brought too much work on the part of teachers in meeting this education needs. This could be understood from the low supply of teachers relative to the demand of education.
World over, research has provided an insight into the teacher workload. A review of existing literature has shown that many factors have continued to mitigate and conspire against teachers in carrying out their duties of imparting knowledge, skills and attitude to students. Such workload variables include teachers’ preparation time, assessment, reporting, supervision, attending meetings, class size, the implementation of new programmes without adequate resources; and scheduling challenges that result in inappropriate and out-off-field teaching contribute to teacher workload (Dibbon (2004). Also worthy of mention are government expectations, curriculum requirements, and professional development requisites.
In line with the foregoing, it appears that teachers are faced with basically four choices: taking on the additional responsibilities, teaching part-time, choosing to resign from the profession, or retiring early. Although research examining teacher workload in Lagos State and other parts of Nigeria abound, there is a gap in the literature regarding the teacher workload in Education District IV of Lagos State in relation to job performance in secondary schools. This research study will fill the knowledge gap in literature.
Most arguably, the concern about teacher productivity is considered crucial because of its apparent direct relationship with the standard of education and eventual long-term effect on the future labour force. Literature is replete with teacher workload and how it affects job performance in secondary schools, few however, are related with the impact of gender on teacher productivity in public secondary schools. This study therefore, complements earlier research carried out in this field.
Arguably, improvement in the productivity of Nigerian teachers has remained the recurrent themes of many symposia, conferences and workshops. It is a recognized fact that the teacher is a critical factor in the classroom teaching and learning situation. Whatever that will impede on the teacher not to achieve the desired goals should be contended with. There is a need to make teachers to be responsive to the task of delivering education goals without undue stress. It is very disturbing that graduates of the different levels know very little of what they are supposed to have learnt in school. Equally, the poor results of school certificate examinations over the years have provided justification for the expressed concerns. Reports by the Examination Body such as the West African Examination Council reveal that the failure rate for English Language in the past five years surpassed that of the percentage of credits scored in Senior School Certificate Examination (SSCE) conducted by it between 2001 and 2005. While in Mathematics, a fluctuating trend was recorded by the candidates during this period (WAEC, 2007). Besides, Punch Newspaper (2008) reported that out of a total of 1,369,142 candidates that sat for the West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) in Nigeria in 2008, only 188,442 representing 13.76% obtained five credit passes and above in English Language, Mathematics and three other subjects. While 947,945 candidates representing 83% failed the examination. The analysis suggests that all is not well with students’performance in secondary schools. There is no gainsaying that every poor performance and failure is usually blamed on the workers by the management. Conversely, this is by no means different for teachers in secondary schools for job performance related problems. Given this information above, this research examines the impact of teacher workload on teacher job performance in secondary schools in Lagos Education District IV.