TEACHERS COMPENSATION PROSPECTS AND CHALLENGES IN PRIVATE AND PUBLIC SECONDARY SCHOOLS IN THE SOUTH EAST ZONE OF NIGERIA

Abstract

This paper is on teacher’s compensation prospects and challenges in Public and private Secondary schools in south east zone of Nigeria. Imo state is among the state in the south east. It is used as a case study. This study made use of descriptive research survey design. The population of study is made up of 18,720, which comprised of (12000) male teachers and (6720) female teachers in public secondary schools in Imo state. Stratified random sampling techniques was used to select (110) teachers in (2) public secondary schools in Imo state. Two research questions and one hypothesis guided the study. The instrument for data collection was a researcher made instrument titled “Teacher compensation: Prospects and challenges in Imo state public secondary schools. (TCPACIS), with a rating scale of “Strongly agree, (SD= 4) Agree (A=3), Disagree (D=2) and “Strongly (SD=1) of A, B and C sections. Section A, is used to collect demographic data of respondents, section B, is used to collect data from male and female teachers on the various form of compensation prospects for teachers in public secondary schools in Imo state, while section C, is used to collect data from male and female teachers on the various challenges of compensation teachers encounter in public secondary schools in Imo state. The instrument was validated by three experts. The reliability co-efficient of 0.97 and 0.87 of the instrument was ascertained at 0.05 alpha level of using Cronbach alpha which proved that the instrument is reliable to use for the study. The instrument was administered to the respondents with the help of two research assistance.  110 copies of the questionnaire were administered to respondents and 110 copies were returned, none got missed. Mean and standard deviation were used to analyze data while the hypothesis was tested with the use of t- test statistical tool at 0.05 alpha level of significance.  The findings from this study revealed that teachers are effective in their teaching responsibilities, some teachers has continued to acquire more certificate added to the certificates they already have, this measure has made them to teach effectively as professionals in their field. Also, teachers had at one time to other faced challenges of inadequate compensation among others. It was recommended from this study that government should pay teachers as at when due, this will enable teachers teach effectively in Imo state public secondary schools.  It was also, recommended from this study  that other fringe benefits such as leave allowances, bonuses, promotion, housing scheme and transportation scheme among others should be given to teachers  as agreed by  government and teachers during teachers employment among others.