Teacher-Pupil Ratio and Teachers’ Job Performance in Public Primary Schools in Mbinga District Council, Tanzania
Abstract
This study examined teacher-pupil ratio and teachers’ job performance in public primary schools in Mbinga District Council, Tanzania. The study was guided by Herzberg’s Two-Factor Theory, propounded in 1959. A convergent design under a mixed-methods research approach was employed. The target population comprised 1,411 participants, including teachers, heads of schools, Ward Education Officers, and the District Academic Officer. A sample of 146 respondents was selected using stratified random sampling, simple random sampling, and purposive sampling techniques. Questionnaires and interview guides were used to collect quantitative and qualitative data, respectively. Cronbach’s alpha coefficients were used to assess the reliability of Likert-scale questionnaire items, while triangulation was employed to enhance the trustworthiness of qualitative data. Quantitative data were analysed using descriptive statistics, including frequencies, percentages, and means, while qualitative data were analysed thematically. The findings indicated that the teacher-pupil ratio was associated with several aspects of teachers’ job performance. High teacher-pupil ratios were reported to increase teachers’ workload, limit individual attention to pupils, constrain effective classroom management, and make timely assessment and feedback more difficult. These conditions presented challenges to teachers in carrying out their instructional responsibilities effectively. The study concluded that teacher-pupil ratio was an important consideration in teachers’ job performance, particularly regarding workload, classroom management, individual pupil support, assessment practices, and instructional effectiveness. The study recommends that the government and education authorities strengthen teacher recruitment and deployment to promote more balanced teacher-pupil ratios, improve teachers’ working conditions, and support effective job performance in public primary schools.