Influence of the working environment on the performance of teachers in public primary schools in Chunya District

This study examined the contribution of the work environment to the performance of teachers in public primary schools in Chunya district. The objectives of the study were to identify aspects of the work environment that influenced teachers’ performance either positively or negatively; to investigate the degree to which the teachers’ performance was affected by those aspects of the work environment; and to assess the extent to which education stakeholders’ support worked towards improving teachers’ work environment so as to enhance their work performance. Using a mixed research approach the study was conducted in eight public primary schools. A sample of 92 respondents made up of teachers, head teachers, Ward Education Coordinators (WECs), school committee chairpersons, the District Chief Inspector of Schools (DCIS) and the District Education Officer (DEO) was used to generate the required data. Data were collected using questionnaires, interviews, focused group discussions, documentary review and observations. Data were thematically analysed and presented in tables in the form of frequencies and percentages as well as in narrative form. The study established that teacher working environment creates a strong positive or negative influence on teachers’ performance, depending on the nature of the environment in which individual teachers work. Only few schools with good and supportive work environment had their teachers performing well and showing willingness in attending to the assigned duties and responsibilities while in a majority of the schools with poor and unsupportive environment, teachers lacked willingness to work and this resulted into poor job performance. It was further established that poor teacher performance is marked by inefficiency and ineffectiveness in attending assigned duties and responsibilities, poor pupil performance in the mastery of the 3Rs, little pupil mastery of subject matter and eventually poor performance in PSLE results. Thus, the study recommends that the government, public and other stakeholders should work towards making substantial improvement of school infrastructural facilities and accessibility of curriculum materials. Also, the government should work to improve teachers’ conditions of work, including provision of salary increments, timely payment of salaries as well as other incentives. Moreover, school committees, parents and the community as a whole should be sensitised to the role they should play in relation to improving teachers’ working conditions. Additionally, school governance, management and supervision should be strengthened through regular whole-school inspection, academic monitoring as well as through provision of management and supervision seminars to head teachers and WECs.