Influence of the Prevailing Work Environment on the Productivity of Public Primary School Teachers in Abia State, Nigeria

Abstract

 Teachers are the most important professionals in national development; consequently, their satisfaction at work is paramount to the educational development of any nation. Unfortunately, in Nigeria and in Abia State in Particular, the work environment and working conditions for public primary school teachers are to say the least poor and deplorable. The objective of this study therefore is to examine the influence of the prevailing work environment on the productivity of public primary school teachers in Abia state, Nigeria. Herzberg’s two-factor theory formed the theoretical framework for the study. The study adopted cross – sectional survey research design. The study population was 6,219, comprising of all the teachers in public primary schools in Abia State, while the sample size for the study was 609. The multi – stage sampling technique was used to select the respondents for the study.  Questionnaire was used to collect data for the study. Data collected was processed using the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) software application while frequency tables and simple percentages were used to present, interpret, and analyze the data. The stated hypothesis was tested using the Chi-square (χ2) inferential statistics. The findings revealed that majority of teachers in public primary schools in Abia State see the teaching profession as frustrating. They do not receive their salaries timely and regularly and facilities in most of the public primary schools are dilapidated and inadequate. The study recommends the need for government to make and implement policies that will improve teachers’ welfare and ensure that they are treated equally like other workers in other sectors of the economy.