the level of the job satisfaction of teachers in botswana pedzani ...

European Journal of Educational Studies 4(2), 2012
Satisfaction according to experience
From this study, the results show that the higher the number of years spent in the service the higher the level of
satisfaction; for instance, the age ranges 31 to 41+ years show a 100% satisfaction level. This supports Bishay
(1996, p150) assertion that: ―Job satisfaction seems to increase with age and years of service‖. This, according to
Abdullah, Uli and Parasuraman (2009) may be that the teachers who remain in their jobs for a long time are those
who are satisfied with the job. However, there are also higher levels of satisfaction in the age ranges 0 – 5 years and
11 – 15 years which contradict Bishay‘s assertion. Some studies have also found that younger teachers were more
satisfied than some seniors and this is supported by early studies which have revealed a U-shaped or curvilinear
relationship implying that employees experience high levels of job satisfaction at the start of their careers, a midcareer
decrease and an increase towards the end (Crossman and Harris, 2006; Handyside, 1967; Herzberg, Mausner,
Peterson & Capwell 1957). Crossman and Harris, (2006, p33) sum this up by declaring that: As far as teachers are
concerned, there is evidence to suggest that those with less than five years service are the most satisfied while those
who have been teaching for between 15 and 20 years are the least satisfied.
Satisfaction level according to level of operation and position
From this study, all categories of teachers at Senior Secondary schools are highly satisfied at the level of 100%;
followed by the Deputy Headteacher cadre whose satisfaction leves are above 60% except in the cadre of Deputy
Headteacher, Junior Secondary School where it is only 40%. At primary school level, Teachers and Heads of
Department are highly satisfied while the Senior Teachers and Headteachers are minimally satisfied. From this
study, it can be concluded that Junior and Senior Secondary Schools teachers at all categories are more satisfied with
their jobs than those at Primary Schools. Furthermore, Senior Secondary Schools teachers are highly satisfied.
General Level of Satisfaction
As illustrated in Table 3, all categories of teachers are generally satisfied as follows: Primary School level (65%).
Junior Secondary School level (72.4%) and Senior Secondary School level (100%).
Table 2: General Satisfaction Level According to Level of Operation
Level
Primary Junior Secondary Senior Secondary Total
Not satisfied at all 34 48 0 82
Fairly satisfied 56 102 38 196
Most satisfied 8 24 40 72
Total 98 174 78 350
Furthermore 85.9% respondents in the teachers‘ category, 63.5% in the senior teachers‘ category, 92.7% in the head
of department category, 68% in the deputy school heads category, and 76% in the school head category were
generally satisfied. It can therefore be concluded that all categories of teachers in Botswana are generally satisfied in
their job. Much as this study points to a generally satisfied cadre of employees, teachers at all levels have been
showing signs over the years of being not satisfied with certain facets of their jobs.
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