The Predominance of Different Sources of Stress Among Teachers in Government Senior High Schools of Addis Ababa

Abstract

 Prompted by increased concern about teacher dissatisfaction and turnover, the researcher conducted a study to establish the levels of stress experienced by teachers in government high schools using data from 144 respondents in four centrally and peripherally located schools of Addis Ababa. The study focused on seven plausible sources of stress: Salary and Opportunities, Student Characteristics, Performance Evaluation, Time Pressure, Resources, Regulations and Relations. Differences in level of stress between groups (e.g. males and females) were also explored. The results identified problems related to Salary and Opportunities, Student Characteristics and Evaluation to be equally important origins of teacher stress. In addition, degree holders, experienced, and pedagogically trained male teachers appeared to be subject to greater stress than their female counterparts. The results suggested that, although salaries and benefits remained to be critical areas of teacher discontent and should receive due attention, it was useful to simultaneously deal with other sources of stress of equal or secondary importance.