CHAPTER ONE

Background to the study

The efficient and effective management of any organization lies in the abilities of the top management, to put in place measures that would ensure constant greater productivity and a comfortable working relationship between management and the subordinates. Consequently, motivation has often been an effective tool used by managers and administrators to boost productivity and commitment among members of sta in any organization. The word “motivation’’ according to R’eem (2011) is derived from the Latin word ‘motus’ a form of verb ‘movere’ which means to move, influence aect and excite. Strivastava and Bhatia (2013:18), defined motivation as an action that triggers, propels and directs human behaviour and how this behaviour is preserved to achieve a particular goal. Mostly in secondary schools, principals are main administrators of staff and students, the motivational strategies and the ways they are employed by the administrators can impact positively or negatively on the attainment of the organizational goals depending on the administrative and managerial style of the principal. Since teachers are the most important factors in determining the quality of education that students receives. Teachers’ motivation has an important effect on students their satisfaction and fulfillment for this reason, teachers are to be given proper care so as to bring out their best in delivering their services hence human resources are considered the most important factor of production. Teachers are vital component of school administration that is why, the Federal government of Nigeria made it clear in her National Policy on Education FRN (2004), that the purpose of teacher education should be to produce highly motivated, conscious and efficient classroom teachers. The Federal Government of Nigeria introduced training programmes, workshops, seminar that will enhance the motivation of staff for better success.

In most cases, when teachers are motivated, they perform better than when they are not. Oguru (2000) opined that, there are two types of motivation: intrinsic and extrinsic motivation. Intrinsic motivation refers to self generated factors that influence people to behave in a particular way e.g responsibility, freedom to act, scope to use and develop skills and abilities, interesting and challenging task and opportunity for advancement. While extrinsic motivation can be defined as what is done to people to motivate them in areas of their work, for example, rewards like increased pay, praise or promotion etc. Obi (2003) stated that, a well motivated and flexible work force can be achieved by a coherent approach to developing strategies in the area of raising teachers’ salaries without stream lining the payment system. When this is done, it will provide an environment that is conducive for the satisfaction of various needs of teachers as to be dedicated in performing their task of teaching as well as empowering them to give high quality outputs and avoid wastage in terms of dropouts, carryover and failures by students as the case may be. It is a fact that, without dedicated, satisfied and motivated teachers, there will be no base for support and stability of education. According to Ogbonnaya (2005), education is the bedrock of all developments. As such, the importance of education to a nation’s development cannot be over emphasized so also the importance of teachers who are the pillars in the stability and sustainability of education.

But it is quite unfortunate that the contemporary teachers keep complaining of poor conditions of service and lack of status in the society and that could be attributed to irregular payment, lack of fringe benefits, lack of promotion and other awards or appraisal that should be given to them to make life better. It is a fact that Nigerian society attaches no value to teachers that is why most parents do not want their children to join teaching profession. They are seen by their counterparts as, people who are poor and wretched. However, sta motivation as a tool can be defined as a method of course of action, or an instrument by which an act can be accomplished. It is an instrument used in performance of operation. In addition, effectiveness generally refers to the extent to which the organization realized its goals or achieved its purpose for establishment. It is about doing the right thing in the teaching process so that at the end of the teaching, the objectives of the lessons are achieved. (Awotu-Efobo, 1999). The right thing in administrative process could only be done if teachers are motivated to attend to their regular duties. Sta motivation strategies currently existing in secondary schools and the ideal motivational measures for school administrations are what this work wants to determine.

1.2 Statement of the problem

The public outcry of the poor standard of education in Nigeria has been attributed to the poor performance of teachers. Poor performance of teachers have been attributed to a number of factors, which include lack of proper motivation, low payment of salaries, premature departure from teaching, attracting the least qualified and lack of commitment to job, since those with high qualification will see teaching in secondary schools as under employment. Some of the qualified teachers have sought for greener pasture in oil companies, banking and production industries where salaries, fringe benefits and general conditions are better. The implication of all these is that poor motivation of teachers has led to many other problems within the secondary school administrative system ranging from wide and high rate of examination malpractice to poor learning achievement, high rate of teachers’ indiscipline, low teachers’ morale and students’ poor attitude towards studies to mention but a few. As such, if this ugly trend is not properly investigated immediately, it will lead to increase in school dropout, unemployment, consistent poor performance of teachers and students. It is in the light of the above that this study tends to examine the assessment of teachers’ motivation as a tool for effective secondary school administration in Ezza North L.G.A. of Ebonyi State.