STAFF DISCIPLINE AND JOB EFFECTIVENESS IN SELECTED SECONDARY SCHOOLS IN UYO LOCAL GOVERNMENT AREA OF AKWA IBOM STATE

CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

1.1   Background to the Study

The academic performance of students at all levels of schooling is dependent on a number of factors. These factors may be environmental-based, student-based or teacher based. Factors which have been identified, isolated and studies over the years include teacher effectiveness, teacher qualification and teacher conditions of service. The interactions of those variables have given impetus to quality service delivery in the teaching-learning process. As observed by Ukeje (1991) the quality of education provided in the society and the nature of change that affects learners are dependent on the quality of teacher variables.

A teachers’ effectiveness is to some extent, enhanced when his conditions of service is enhanced. Conditions of service of a teacher are the basic motivating needs or requirements of the teacher which enable him dispense classroom instruction willingly, easily, effectively, continuously and joyously. (Isangadigha, 2007; and Denga, 2001). It thus appears then that satisfaction of the teachers’ needs or requirements is the most important factor which in the school system can either inhibit or facilitate the effectiveness of the teacher.

A cursory comparison of teachers with their counterparts (with the same qualification and experience) in other services or professions explains in eloquent terms why the educational system witnesses brain drain and occupational drift on a continuous basis. To democratize the situation further, teachers are remunerated not as professionals but as unskilled artisans and street janitors/urchins (Anwakang, 2006). This confirm slogan that theirs “reward is in heaven”.

What teachers earn as take-home pay is the equivalent of the utility bill of a cleaner in the oil company. The long-waited and desired Teacher Salary Structure (TSS) which would have invigorated the teaching profession has been politicized and thrown into oblivion (Anwakang, 2006). Incidentally it is only the teaching profession that has no professional salary structure. The Nigerian Union of Teachers (NUT) had in its national conference held in 2002 attributed parts of teachers’ poor performance in the school system to the non-implementation of the TSS by the relevant authority and government agency. A poorly remunerated teacher is an unmotivated teacher. An unmotivated teacher produces an unmotivated learner. A product of the interaction of an unmotivated teacher with an unmotivated learner is poor academic performance which according to Isangedighi (2007) raises doubt about the quality of education the child receives. This and other components of teachers’ condition of service will be considered in this study.

1.2   Statement of the Problem

Despite the substantive investment made by the successive government of the country, teachers have not been able to accomplish the stated objectives or fulfill the expected result required from them.

Teachers’ performance especially in secondary schools keep deteriorating at an alarming rate. The reasons for this poor performance are put on ineffective staff discipline. Staff have been accused of indiscipline and abandoning their offices post as well as no longer committed and devoted to duties. It has become necessary to both the state and federal government and education authority to determine why despite the yearly increased in numbers of qualified and trained teachers, their productivity is still low.

However, it has been assumed that teachers poor performance is as a result of the way and manner they are managed by state and local government administrators, their habits of poor and irregular promotion and lack of facilities and equipments.

Human needs are complex and so difficult to determine. The researcher is interested in probing these problems with a view to determine how staff discipline affects teachers teaching effectiveness in secondary schools in Uyo local government area of Akwa Ibom State.

1.3   Purpose of the Study

The main purpose of the study is to investigate how staff discipline affects job effectiveness in secondary schools in Uyo local government of Akwa Ibom State. Specifically, it is aimed at determining whether:

1. Teachers level of job satisfaction has any influence on job effectiveness.
2. Regular payment of salaries has any influence on job effectiveness.
3. In-service training of teachers has any influence on job effectiveness.
4. Principal leadership style has any influence on job effectiveness

1.4   Research Questions

To guide this study the following research questions have been formulated.

1. Is there any significant relationship between teachers level of job satisfaction and effectiveness?
2. To what extent does regular payment of teachers salaries influence job effectiveness?
3. How does in-service training influence teachers’ job effectiveness?
4. To what extent does principal leadership style influence teachers level of job effectiveness?

1.5   Statement of Hypothesis

1. There is no significant influence of teachers’ level of job on their job effectiveness.
2. There is no significant relationship between regular payment of teachers’ salaries and their level of job effectiveness.
3. There is no significant relationship between in-service training of teachers and their level of job effectiveness.
4. Principal leadership does not significantly influence teachers level of job effectiveness.

1.6   Significance of the Study

This study would be beneficial to three main categories of people; the teacher-student, the government and parents. To the teacher the finding of this study will enable them perform better when their condition of service improves. They could also discover the dispensation of classroom instruction dose not only base on the notion of impacting knowledge” but also achievement of result base on their own performance.

To the parents, this study would enable them press on the government to improve the condition of teachers as a sine qua non for teachers’ effectiveness. It will also enable them assess the government in providing those facilities the will enable conditions of the teachers to improve. Finally the government (educational planer, policy makers, and curriculum designers) will be guided with the findings of this study when drawing up programmes for the benefits of the teachers. They will during policy formulation, endeavour to provide for better conditions of teachers such a regular and prompt payment of teachers’ salaries, promotion and in-service training.

1.7   Assumptions of the Study 

The following assumptions are made for the study:

1. It is assumed that the sample from the selected areas is a true representative of the population (Uyo LGA)
2. It is assumed that the subject clearly understood the instrument administered to them and information supplied is a true reflection of the true state of their mind.
3. It is assumed that the items in the questionnaire will adequately sample the construct under study.

1.8   The scope of the study

The study was limited to staff discipline and job effectiveness in secondary schools in Uyo Local Government Area of Akwa Ibom State. Thus the variables considered in this study is staff discipline and job effectiveness: level of job satisfaction, regular payment of salaries, in-service training and principal leadership style, allowances.

1.9   Limitation of the Study

The major limitation of this study were:

1. In accessibility to research area caused by poor network of roads
2. Transportation to and from the school on motorcycles was very costly and risky
3. Some teachers felt reluctant in filling the questionnaire which created doubts in the responses given to the items.
4. Financial constraint owing to high cost of transportation and writing materials

1.10 Definition of Terms

The following terms have the meaning assigned to them for the purpose of this study only:

Teachers’ Condition of Service: This refers to the regular and prompt payment of teachers’ salary, teachers’ promotion, in-service training and good working environment, allowances etc.

Job Effectiveness: It is the impressive performance of the teacher in the classroom, when the conditions of service are met as evidenced in the students’ academic achievement.

Promotion: This is the elevation of teacher from on grade level to another after a maximum period of three years.

Salary: This is the monthly remuneration paid to a teacher including allowances and fringe benefits.

In-Service Training: This is the course given to the teachers to enhance their teaching effectiveness from time to time. They include weekly, monthly, quarterly, biannually or yearly.

Social Status: This is the teachers’ personality in the public when compared to their counterparts in other profession. The status ranges from low to high.