Influence of work related stress on motivational incentives among senior high school teachers in the Kaleo-Nadowli District

Abstract

The study aimed to assess work related stress on motivational incentives among Senior High School Teachers in the Kaleo-Nadowli District of the Upper West Region of Ghana. The descriptive survey design was employed for this study. The researcher used questionnaire as the main instruments for data collection. The target population consisted of all the senior high school teachers, headmasters/headmistress, District Directors of Education at the Kaleo-Nadowli District. In all, 120 respondents were used for the study. Stratified random sampling strategy under the probability sampling technique and purposive sampling technique under the non-probability sampling technique was employed to select respondents for the study. Simple percentages, frequencies and regression were used for the analysis of the response. Findings showed that teachers teaching in senior high schools in the Kaleo-Nadowli District salary are not paid promptly to help minimize the work related stress they go through, teachers salary is not enough to cater for all their basic needs because of the work related stress, teachers are not able to save out of their salary for future use, there are no adequate allowances for teachers to improve their well-being due to their work related stress, some parents give teachers cash reward but are inadequate due to the work related stress of teachers. The study found out that found out that sports duty, invigilation duty, registers and records, admission campaigns, school health programmes, dining meal activities, entertainment activities and form master/class teacher activities are other activities teachers in senior high schools in Kaleo-Nadowli are involved in apart from teaching.The study also found out that teachers teaching in senior high schools in Kaleo-Nadowli District illness are caused mostly by the stress they go through causing health problems such as cancer, heart diseases and pressure just to mention. The study found out that sleeping, talking to neighbors and friends, self-relaxing, watching television, listening to music and doing more exercise are some of the stress management strategies to reduce stress among teachers teaching in senior high schools in Kaleo-Nadowli District. Based on the findings, it was recommended that Ghana Education Service must formulate policies and strategies to help teachers teaching in senior high schools specifically those in Kaleo- Nadowli District relieve and cope with their work-related health problems. The study also recommends that the teachers teaching in senior high schools in Kaleo-Nadowli District must be motivated intrinsically in the teaching profession to give of their best no matter the stress they go through.