Relationship between demographic characteristics and job satisfaction of senior high school teachers in the Bolgatanga municipality

Abstract

The retention of trained teachers in senior high schools is a major problem confronting the delivery of education in Ghana. Governments over the years have worked to address this problem. However, it still persists. Job dissatisfaction is identified as a factor responsible for the situation (Dilworth, 1991). Studies conducted elsewhere also attributed the problem to the demographic characteristics of teachers (Narayana & Rao, 2000; Shamail, Tariq, Jalil, & Szabist, 2004). This study, therefore, sought to find out whether the demographic characteristics and the job satisfaction of trained teachers in senior high schools in the Bolgatanga Municipality are related. A fourteen item questionnaire was used to collect data from 66 randomly selected trained teachers in senior high schools in the Bolgatanga Municipality. The gathered data were analysed using chi-square test of independence and Pearson’s correlation coefficient. The study revealed that trained teachers in senior high schools in the Bolgatanga Municipality were not satisfied with their job. However, they found satisfaction in some aspects of their job and not satisfied with their work environment. Also, their demographic characteristics, such as sex, age, level of education, and years of teaching experience, were found not to be related to their job satisfaction.