School Management Teams’ Impact On Educators’ Job Satisfaction In The Free State Province

Abstract

A school's learning environment depends on educators because they are directly involved in knowledge transfer. The School Management Team (SMT) has a duty to create a school atmosphere and a conducive learning environment to positively affect educators' job satisfaction. Educators will generally be satisfied in their work environment if a positive relationship with their SMT exists, and when they are included in decision-making processes. The researcher used the explanatory sequential mixed method approach. Phase one included quantitative data collection through questionnaires. Qualitative data collection, using focus group interviews, followed after the quantitative method of phase one. The study was confined to schools in the Free State Province. The questionnaire sample included 60 secondary schools and 313 respondents, while the qualitative sample for focus group interviews consisted of 34 educators and 34 SMT Members (20 HOD’s, 6 Deputy Principals and 8 School Principals). This research study addresses a gap in research regarding the impact of SMTs on educators' job satisfaction in the Free State province. The pragmatic results indicated that participants experienced substantial job dissatisfaction that discouraged them and prohibited quality education in schools under certain circumstances. The research revealed numerous decisive dynamics that SMTs could use to develop strategies to promote educators’ satisfaction. It is therefore essential that SMTs identify support tactics in order to improve educators' job satisfaction. The results of the research could be used by the Free State Department of Basic Education to organize an educator management training programme plan for SMTs. The researcher developed a toolkit for in-service SMT training, and is intended primarily for facilitators (such as principals) to enable them to conduct workshops for fellow SMT members. The toolkit offers an overview of some of the main issues related to management and leadership, and how such issues influence educator job satisfaction.