Effect of Pupil-Teacher Ratio on Teacher Workload in Public Primary Schools in Mwingi North Sub-County Kenya

Abstract

This study investigated the effect of pupil-teacher ratio on teacher workload in public primary schools in Mwingi North Sub-County, Kenya. The study used descriptive survey design with a sample of 135 respondents comprising of 44 head teachers, 88 teachers and 3 education officers. Research instruments were questionnaires for head teachers and teachers and interview schedules for the three education officials; Sub-County Director, Teachers Service Commissioner, Sub-County Quality and Standards Officer and the Chief Education Officer. Validity of the instruments was ascertained through expert judgment at the School of Education while reliability was determined using Pearson’s Product Moment Correlation Coefficient. Quantitative data was analyzed using descriptive statistics and presented in percentages, frequencies, means and standard deviation. The null hypothesis was tested using the chi-square analysis at the. 05 level of significance. Qualitative data was analyzed based on the themes emanating from the study objectives. The findings of the study revealed that Pupil-Teacher Ratio had a statistically significant effect on teaching workload at 5% level of significance. This study concluded that schools in the area under study had a higher pupil to teacher ratio which had a significant negative effect on academic performance. The study recommends, among others that the Teachers Service Commission should employ more teachers in the study area in order to solve the problem of teacher shortage currently experienced and that schools should employ more teachers on Board of Management terms.