Description

CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

1.1 Background to the study

The idea of teacher’s reward is in heaven is believed to be a political statement of enslaving them. It is a system of either ridiculing teachers’ effort or failure to pay them what they deserved to be paid. Though, there has been a better shift in the salary of teachers because in the 90s, teacher’s salaries are not something worth to be proud of. By then, landlords would boldly write it at the front of their houses that ‘house is for rent but not for teachers. The situation got worsen till the year 2000. Just as current teachers should not be blamed for “failing schools,” policymakers should not simply assume that investing heavily in teacher salaries is worth the political and economic costs. The most prudent course would be to implement modest structural reforms, while de-emphasizing the level of teacher pay as a focal point of education reform. (Biggs & Richwin, 2019)

The problem of none payment of teachers salaries has been a problem to various government in Nigeria, especially during the military era. Even as teachers cried that their remuneration was nothing to write home about, various governments found it difficult to pay their salaries promptly. This in effect inflicted a deep cut in and dislocated the education system. In the past students and pupils have spent much of their school time at home than in the school due to incessant strike actions by teachers due to poor working condition of service or non-payment of salaries as and when due. Also, Ogunyemi (2010) reported that Governor Alao-Akala was recently quoted in the media, as saying that he would not break the bank to pay teachers as he reacted to the ceaseless agitations from the leadership of the state branch of the Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT) which claimed that Oyo state had remained one of the two states in the country where the new Teachers Salary Scale was yet to be implemented.

For teachers to deliver something meaningful to the students, their salaries determine how serious and how motivated they will be, to discharge their duties, for “effective payment of salaries will lead to effective teaching”. Government has been the sole provider of funds for schools and financing of education in the country. According to Friedman (2012), Education is today largely paid for and almost entirely administered by governmental bodies or non-profit institutions. This situation has developed gradually and is now taken so much for granted that little explicit attention is any longer directed to the reasons for the special treatment of education even in countries that are predominantly free enterprise in organization and philosophy. The result has been an indiscriminate extension of governmental responsibility.

The same story goes with private school teachers as their salary is even meager and cannot even be called a take home. Raheem (2018) states that recently, an unpublished research was conducted to look into the salary scheme of private school teachers in Oyo town. Fifteen (15) nursery and primary schools and ten (10) Secondary schools were visited. The findings showed that only 4 schools were paying twelve thousand naira (#12000) as highest salary for teachers who have stayed more than five years in the school and have B.Ed or related qualifications while the remaining 11 schools are paying #9,500 as highest salary for their staff. Out of the 10 Secondary schools, only 2 are paying #18,000 naira while the remaining 8 are paying #13,000 naira as highest payment for their staff. Imagine how a private school teacher who has a wife with three children will cope successfully on #13,000 naira per month. It is doubtful how such staff will pay his house rent without borrowing not to talk of when to have his own personal house. It is even surprising how such teacher will give his children quality education. On this, it is essential to investigate on the impact of salary increase on the job performance of primary school teachers.

Each day, teachers and other school staff take on responsibilities that in past years would have been undertaken by parents. However, teachers feel they are being asked to do more than just teach, and also should be paid accordingly. Teachers also believe that higher salaries and benefits would reflect a larger measure of public respect for their profession (Melisa, 2020).

1.2 Statement of the problem

The general believe among educationalist as well as laymen is that, to save the collapse of the educational system, huge sum of money had to be invested in education. Within past decades, Nigeria educational system has witnessed unprecedented growth. This phenomena growth has entailed the production of indigenous high level manpower with increased wages to match its quality.

Despite the fact that government used to spend huge amount of money on education sector every year, the researcher still believed that teachers cannot boast of their profession because of the inadequate salaries being given to them. The case of private school teachers even seems worse as they cannot solely rely on their salary to take care of their family.

The plight of Nigeria’s teachers is pitiful as many of them have died of hunger, diseases and out of frustration. The system has turned a good number of them into beggars and destitutes such that the younger generation dread the idea of becoming teachers in the future. If our teachers are not appreciated and recognized, they would be forced to turn their noble job of inspiring the youth to higher academic excellence into positions of creating ‘yahoo boys’ and ‘runs girls’ in our schools. (Adesulu, Abayomi et. al, 2015). Therefore, what bothers the researcher is that to what extent does salary increase has impact on the job performance of primary school teachers in Nigeria?

1.3 Purpose of the study

The main purpose of this study is to investigate the impacts of salary increase on the job performance of primary school teachers.

1.4 Research question

– What is the effect of salary increase salary of primary school teachers on their job performance?

– What are the reactions of primary school teachers on the salary increase in their schools?

– Does increase in salary motivate teachers to work effectively?

1.5 Significance of the study

The finding of this study will provide useful information to government, researchers, policy makers in education, and entire public on how important is increase in teachers’ salaries on their job performance in raising future leaders.

This research work will helps the government to know how efficient the salaries given to teachers help them to perform better and avoid using the period dedicated for teaching on other business.

The study will also be of immense benefit for teachers as the results of the findings will assist them to have more information on the impact of salary increase on their job performance.

Furthermore, this research work will assist in unraveling what private primary school teachers are undergoing and how government can assist them in living a better life.

This study will also helps policy makers in education sector to know how to take effective and efficient decisions regarding education in the country, also, it will serve as background knowledge for future researchers.

1.6 Scope of the study

This research work will cover some selected schools in Oyo East Local Government Area of Oyo State.

1.7 Operational Definition of terms

Salary: these are wages received on a regular basis, usually weekly, bi-weekly, or monthly. Sometimes the term is used to include other benefits, including insurance and a retirement plan.

Teachers performance: these involve the effectiveness and efficient as of teachers in their activities.

New salary scheme: This is the new scheme in which workers will be paid according to their levels or grade. It is as a result of increase in salaries.

Inadequate salary: these involve giving of not enough salaries to workers for work done.

Funds: these are financial resources, which are monetary inputs available for and expended on the education system. They are usually referred to as the cost of and expenditure on education.

Job satisfaction: is defined as a pleasurable emotional state resulting from the appraisal of one’s job. It is an affective reaction to one’s job and an attitude towards one’s job.