EFFECT OF POOR LABOUR RELATIONSHIP ON THE PERFORMANCE OF TEACHERS IN SECONDARY SCHOOL IN ABA NORTH
ABSTRACT
This study was carried out in public secondary schools in Aba North Local Government Area of Abia State. The study was necessitated by the need to find out the fundamental causes of poor labour relations and their effect on teachers’ performance which would provide the basis for the solution to the incessant industrial action of teachers in Nigeria. Data were collected by means of questionnaire distributed to 50 percent of the teachers in the population, data were collected by means of questionnaire distributed to 50 percent of the teachers in the population representing 170 (one hundred and seventy). The researcher choice of 50 percent is to ensure that good number of respondent were represented to give accurate result. In order to establish the reliability of the instrument, the instrument was trial tested. After which the result of test administered were co-related using Pearson Product Moment Correlation Statistics to determine reliability.
The questionnaire elicited information on teachers relationship with educational management. The result indicated almost others that teachers are hardly promoted, and are given insufficient salaries and allowances. Teachers are not given freedom to express their grievance and opinions, they are ignorant of their condition of services and that there are too many unqualified members of grievances committees with no regular training scheme for them. It was therefore included that, there exists poor labour relation among teachers and educational administrator. Poor remuneration makes the teachers antagonistic toward management and there are communication problems hence teachers are ignorant of current event in education sector and of their right and responsibilities from the above findings, and conclusion the following were suggested for improvement. The consultation between education management and teachers should be improved, a formal training scheme for the development of skills and attitudes of teachers should be introduced, regular communication patterns between the teachers and education administrator should be encouraged, and government should look into that pay packet of teachers so as to ensure that teachers are paid promptly and adequately, and finally, suggestions were advanced regarding viable areas for further research.
CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
- BACKGROUND OF THE PROBLEM
The science of achieving educational goals requires working with skilled education personal that is the teachers and managing them well. It is believed that the human person is unique system where his expertise does not work in isolation of the other part of his total self. Education is properly acknowledged as a vital tool for social transformation. This is practically demonstrated by the fact that the Nigeria society has adopted education as an instrument par excellence for effecting national development. In order to achieve the ideals of education, especially secondary school education, as started in the national policy on Education (FRN, 2004) there is need for an effective communication process between the teachers and educational managers.
Education can be defined as the process of development and cultivation of one’s mental activities or sense. It involves expansion, strengthening, and disciplining of one’s faculty mind and so on. (Education in Nigeria Wikipedia, the Encyclopedia).
On effective communication, Ashaju (1981:44) note that effective communication lies at the very foundation of all social organization. This simply means that the extent to which the group (teachers and education managers) communicate effectively is a predictor of how the goals would be either functionally or dysfunctional attained.
Secondary education according to the national policy on education (FRN:2004:18) Is the form of education children receive after primary education and before tertiary institution; the broad objective of this aspect of the sector include preparation for useful living with the society, and preparation for higher education, its broad aim within the overall national objectives of education are to:
- Provide all primary school leavers with the opportunity for education of a higher level, irrespective of sex, social status, religions or ethic background.
- Offer diversified curriculum to cater for the differences in teachers, opportunities and future roles;
- Provide trained manpower in the applied sciences, technology and commerce at sub-professional grades;
- Develop and promote Nigeria language art and culture in the context of the world’s cultural heritage;
- Inspire students with a desire for self-improvement and achievement of excellence;
- Foster national unity with emphasis on the common ties that unites us in our diversity;
- Rais a generation of people who can think for themselves, respect the dignity of labour appreciate these values specified under our broad national goals and live as good citizens.
- Provides technical knowledge and vocational skills necessary for agricultural, industrial commercial and economical development (FRN 2004:18).
The task of implementing such a comprehensive curriculum lies squarely on the teacher and educational administrators of secondary school system.
For quite sometimes now, the education sector has been experiencing some poor labour relationship between the teachers and their employers. Teachers in employment expect certain treatment and attention from their employer to enable them work effectively. Also to enable them put in their expertise knowledge and experience, a better output for the education and society at large. It is a universally accepted opinion that education as an industry must attract, select, train and retrain teachers who have the attitude and skill to scope with the demands of the job. To attract, select and retrain competent teaching workforce (teachers) is by no means a trival matter. It is such a knotty problem that needs to engage the full attention of education administrations.
A close look at the entire educational set up in Aba North Local Government Area shows that teachers are not treated very well and this has resulted in incessant labour unrest. This is wide spread because every day we hear of one strike action or the other were by teachers demands for their rights, and students staying months at home without learning. Some of the grievances are lack of promotion irregular payment of salaries, non-implementation of promotion and payment of fringe benefits, early retirement of teachers, poor relationship between the subordinate and super-ordinate and lack of job security.
The impact of this poor labour relation existing between the teachers and education managers has little been explored. Studies so for carried out has focused largely on education administrators patterns and teacher’s attitude to work. (Yessufu 2000, Njoku 2006, and productivity Emetarom 2000 Englama A.2001 porter and Robert 1996). These studies, despite their scope and perhaps depth did not link the effect of poor labour relation to the performance of teachers in secondary schools. To the best knowledge of the researcher, only one study has the effect of poor labour relation on the performance of teachers in Nigeria. (Englama A.2001). the dearth of research in this area necessitate further investigations, which is to throw more light on this problem area that this study was designed to explore the effect of poor labour relations in the performance of teachers in public secondary school is on Aba North Local Government Area, Abia State.
In education, the workforce to be teachers is a prominent entity to be reckoned with. The enormity of the numerous positive roles they play in educational survival and growth qualifies them for special attention by education managers.
The degree of poor labour management relations in educations can be evaluated from the way it manifested through strikes, demonstrations of poor attitude to work, and so on. Nigeria teachers, in other to show their resentment for management action towards them have continued to employ all legal instruments, issuance of public warnings and threats to management and which later has countered such mouse like suspension, redeployment, transfer and sometimes outright dismissal. This has threatened the growth of education hence the poor standard of education heading to many anti-social behaviors in the country. I therefore wants to investigates on the effects of poor labour relationship that leads to the poor teacher’s performance on the workforce.
The bread objective of this study is to investigate out mostly in four public secondary schools in Aba North Local Government Area of Abia State. The basis of this selection is because they are ones that basically have enough promise of offering necessary co-operations with minimum pursuance.
Besides, these schools were for the greater part chartered in Aba North, a major part of Aba in Abia state. The selection will be conducted from the list of school with full description of their locations. Mission own, privately own and unity secondary schools will not be included. The survey will covered the area of the relationship that exist between the teachers and educational administrators and its effects on students.
The main purpose of the study was to investigate into the casual factors and effect of poor labour relationship on the performance of teachers in secondary school in Aba North. Specifically, the study sought to:
i determine whether majority of teachers in public secondary schools in Aba North Local Government Area receive adequate remuneration.
ii determine if teacher are paid with their standard of education and experience.
iii ascertain whether there has been complain laid by teachers before the complaints handled.
iv ascertain how effective the lines communication between employers and teacher in their working environment.
v determine the extent the students can be effected as a result of poor labour relationship in educational sector.
