Influence of Selected Factors on Job Satisfaction among Middle Level Managers in Public Secondary Schools in Rongai District, Kenya

Abstract

Middle level managers in secondary schools play pivotal role in monitoring the implementation of school curriculum which is expected to translate to excellent school performance. However, many schools in Rongai District have continued to perform dismally in national examinations. According to the Rongai District Education Strategic Plan (2009-2014), the students’ performance in the Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education Examinations had continued to plummet continuously for five years. The same strategic plan identified low job satisfaction as one of the major factors which negatively affected performance in the district. Therefore, the objective of this study was to establish the influence of selected factors on job satisfaction among middle level managers in secondary schools in Rongai district, Nakuru County, Kenya. This study employed a cross- sectional survey design. A Sampling frame of Middle Level Managers comprising Deputy Principals and Heads of department was constructed from all public secondary schools in Rongai district. A total of 144 out of a sample size of 153 Middle Level Managers selected using stratified and simple random sampling techniques participated in the study. Data was collected using a questionnaire which had a reliability coefficient of 0.83 calculated using Chronbach’s alpha formula. Multiple Regression model was used to analyze the data where Parsimonious models were obtained and validated. The most significant factor that influenced job satisfaction was found to be job-itself factor. Further analysis was carried to determine the influence of each specific job itself variable on job satisfaction. The study found that ‘pride in the job’ significantly influenced job satisfaction. The findings may be used by Teachers Service Commission (TSC) in the recruitment of middle level managers as well as creating clear opportunities for their advancement to boost their job satisfaction. Key words: Job-Satisfaction, Job -Related Factors, Job-Opportunities, Parsimonious Model