DIMENSIONS OF TEACHERS’ JOB SATISFACTION IN PRIMARY SCHOOLS IN GWERU DISTRICT, ZIMBABWE: A FACTOR ANALYSIS

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to find out the dimensions of teacher job satisfaction in selected primary schools in Gweru District, Zimbabwe. The study employed the descriptive survey method. The population of the study consisted of 25 schools with 500 teachers .Two schools were randomly selected from the population and used for the pilot study. Seven teachers from each of the remaining 23 schools were purposively selected and hence 161 teachers make up the sample for the study. A self-constructed questionnaire of 32 items was used to solicit information. The instrument was both face and content validated and the reliability determined using the Alpha reliability method. An Alpha Reliability coefficient of 0.763 was obtained. The data collected were coded and analyzed using descriptive statistics and factor analysis. Factor analysis showed that eight factors accounted for 65.187% variance in teacher’s job satisfaction. The eight factors were security, infrastructure and teaching resources, financial incentives, supervision, working condition, monthly salary, non-financial incentives and health scheme. The major factors for teachers’ job satisfaction were security, infrastructure and teaching resources, financial incentives and supervision. The study also revealed that teachers were not paid adequate salary and that they are rarely provided with non- financial incentives. It was therefore recommended that responsible authorities should strategize means of helping boost teacher satisfaction in schools by providing adequate security, infrastructure and teaching resources as well as adequate health scheme.