THE PREVALENCE OF OCCUPATIONAL STRESS AMONG SECONDARY SCHOOL TEACHERS
Table Of Contents
- Title page — – – – – – – – – – – i Declaration — – – – – – – – – – -iiApproval page — – – – – – – – – – -iiiDedication — – – – – – – – – – -ivAcknowledgement — – – – – – – – – -v Table of content — – – – – – – – – -vi Abstract — – – – – – – – – – – -vii
Thesis Abstract
Abstract
Occupational stress among secondary school teachers is a growing concern that has been widely recognized in recent years. This research project delves into the prevalence of occupational stress among secondary school teachers, aiming to identify the key factors contributing to this issue and its implications on the well-being and performance of teachers. The study employs a mixed-methods approach, combining quantitative surveys and qualitative interviews to gather comprehensive data on the experiences of secondary school teachers in relation to occupational stress. A sample of secondary school teachers from various schools will be selected to participate in the study, ensuring diverse perspectives and experiences are captured. The quantitative phase of the research involves distributing standardized stress assessment surveys to the participants to quantify the level of stress experienced by secondary school teachers. This data will be crucial in understanding the prevalence of occupational stress and identifying common stressors among teachers. Additionally, demographic information and work-related factors will be analyzed to determine any correlations with stress levels. Complementing the quantitative data, qualitative interviews will be conducted with a subset of the participants to gain deeper insights into the personal experiences, coping mechanisms, and perceived impacts of occupational stress. These interviews will provide rich narratives that offer a more nuanced understanding of the complexities surrounding stress among secondary school teachers. The findings of this research have the potential to shed light on the multifaceted nature of occupational stress among secondary school teachers and its implications for teacher well-being and job performance. By identifying the key stressors and coping strategies employed by teachers, this study can inform the development of targeted interventions and support systems to mitigate the negative effects of stress in the teaching profession. Overall, this research project aims to contribute to the existing body of knowledge on occupational stress among secondary school teachers, providing valuable insights for educators, school administrators, and policymakers to address this pressing issue. By recognizing and addressing the prevalence of stress among teachers, the education sector can work towards creating a healthier and more supportive work environment for secondary school teachers, ultimately benefiting both educators and students alike.
Thesis Overview
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</p><p>Principals play a pivotal role in performance of students in secondary schools. In many instances, this calls for high professional and societal demands, and expectations. As a result, principals experience stress. Studies in countries like USA, Britain, Norway, India, Nigeria and Kenya have revealed that optimal stress among principals enhances students’ performance in public examinations while excessive stress reduces students’ performance. In Rachuonyo North and Homa Bay Sub counties, the mean scores for schools headed by female principals from 2010 to 2014 were 3.77 and 4.20 respectively compared to those headed by male principals whose mean scores were 5.05 and 5.67 for the same period. Occupational Stress</p><p>These performances were below those of Rachuonyo south Sub County which were 4.67 for female principals and 5.20 for male principals for the same period. The performances of schools headed by female principals’ were lower than those headed by male principals. These studies have linked stress among principals to students’ performance. The purpose of this study was to establish factors influencing stress among public secondary school female principals in public secondary schools in Rachuonyo North and Homa Bay Sub counties, Kenya. Occupational Stress</p><p>This study established that female principals in Rachuonyo North and Homa Bay Sub counties were experiencing moderate stress at a mean (M) 3.37 and Standard Deviation (SD) 1.290 on a 5 –point scale. Stress factors accounted for 52.9% of female principals stress levels. The factors that had highest influence on stress levels of female principals were working environment (M 3.67, SD = 1.287), pursuit for excellence (M = 3.65, SD = 1.033), conflicting demands from stakeholders (M =3.68), SD = 1.156), lack of time to teach and attend to administrative tasks (M =3.373, SD = 1.122), workload (M =3.54, SD = 1.260), uncertainty in job expectations (M =3.97, SD = 1.166), undisciplined teachers (M =3.58, SD = 1.357) and staff shortage (M =3.78, SD = 1.357).</p><p><strong>INTRODUCTION</strong></p><p>The government of Kenya is concerned with the global agenda of achieving education for all. The academic performance of students has become a great concern to stakeholders of education.This has led the government to formulate and implement policies to improve academic performance. Stress has also been found to be a major contributing factor to academic performance.</p>
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