Workplace Stress : A comparison of public and private school teachers in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, Nigeria
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.60787/tnhj.v24i2.798Keywords:
workplace, stress, public, private, teachers, primary school, port harcourt, NigeriaAbstract
Background: Teachers face demanding tasks which generate workplace stress. This study compared workplace stress among teachers in public and private primary schools in Port Harcourt, Rivers State.
Methodology: Analytical cross-sectional study using a cluster sampling method among public and private school teachers. A semi-structured, self-administered, validated 49-item Teacher Stress Inventory (TSI) grouped into ten subscales with a five-point Likert scale was used. Stress rating was determined by calculating the total stress score and categorizing as stressed or not stressed based on threshold score of three. Mean stress scores across domains were compared using t-test and prevalence of stress was compared using chi-square and odds ratio with alpha value at 0.05.
Results: Public school teachers were significantly older (t=3.044; p=0.002) than those in private schools. 55 (13.8%) of teachers were stressed with significantly higher numbers of stressed teachers in public schools (χ2=11.15; p= 0.001). Public school teachers also had greater odds (OR-2.79, C.I 1.50-5.17) of experiencing workplace stress. There were significant differences in mean scores (p<0.05) across all domains for sources and manifestations of stress except for time management and emotional manifestation. Stressed public school teachers were significantly older, had been teaching longer and had larger class sizes compared to stressed private school teachers (p<0.05).
Conclusion: Public school teachers experienced more workplace stress with larger class sizes, increasing age and teaching years as underlying risk factors. Re-thinking the education policy in the state, enforcement of policies for class size, employment of more teachers and provision of more public schools are advocated.
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