The Experiences of Senior Teachers at Yekatit 12 Preparatory School: Longev ity, Job Satisfaction, Challenges and Coping strategies
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Date
2016
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Addis Ababa University
Abstract
In Ethiopia, plenty of researches have been conducted on issues such as job satisfaction of
teachers; retention and turnover of teachers. The research employed qualitative, descriptive
phenomeno logica l approach to examine reason senior teachers stay in the profession for th irty
years and more, challenges they have faced and coping mechanisms they employed. Criterion
based purpos ive sampling method was used to select Twelve senior teachers at Yekatit 12
Preparatory Schoo l who have been in the teachin g profess ion for thirty and more years as
research participant. Semi stru ctured interview and focus group di scuss ion were used to co llect
data. The study fou nd out that for most teachers, teaching in their early year career was full of
happiness and exciting; however, their current perception about implies that most participants are
dissati sfied with their career. The love for teach ing profession and working with students, and for
some having li mited access to join other professions were identified as a reason to keep teachers
in teaching. Inadequate sa lary, deteriorating respect for the profession and poli tical interference
were identified as the major challenges in teaching profession. Fami lies and colleagues as a
reso urce used for coping with challenges whi le activ ities li ke read ing books, spending time on
internet and walking used to cope with challenges. Furthermore, improving fi nancial benefit,
recruitment system, refraining politics from school, working on students behavior and soc iet ies
att itude were suggested as means of improving teachers sati sfaction and minimizing challenges.
Th is research wi ll serves as a point of reference fo r stud ies to be conducted in re lated areas. In
add ition, the study fi nding implies the need for po licy advocacy of social workers in relation to
teachers' quest for better sa lary, detra inment of pol itics from school and in meeting other
challenges. Beyond that, it also calls for social work intervention in providing sc ientific means of
coping with the stresses and challenges inherent in the teach ing profess ion.
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Keywords
Experiences of Senior Teachers at Yekatit 12 Preparatory School: Longev ity, Job