Effect of Teachers’ Work-Life Balance on Performance of Secondary School Students in Kwale County, Kenya

Abstract

The study examined the impact of teacher’s work-life balance and effective time management on students' academic performance in public secondary schools in Kwale county, Kenya. In the five years prior to the study, the county had a low mean score of a dismal 7% in 2016 which experienced a modest increase to only 10.5% in 2020. Teachers’ contribution in guiding students to good performance is not debatable and is well acknowledged the world over. The role of a teacher as a mentor, a guide, a role model, a parent, a vision carrier and all the good deeds attributable to a good teacher are what translates to a successful student. All people who have gone through school education attest to the fact that were it not for their teachers, they would not have made it to where they reached. However, when issues in life affect a teacher’s attention to their work, it inadvertently affects their efficiency in service delivery and consequently, their students’ performance.  The purpose of this study was to establish the effect of teachers' work-life balance and time management in enhancing students' academic performance in secondary schools in Kwale County, Kenya. Further, the study sought to establish students’ perception of their teachers planning and execution of teaching and identify any challenges facing teachers that would impact on poor performance of the students. The target population was 7,598 respondents comprising of 98 principals, 960 teachers and 6,540 form four students from public secondary schools in Kwale County. The sample size was determined using Krejcie and Morgan (1970) table where a sample of 274 teachers, 364 form four students and 29 principals was established. Data was collected using a structured questionnaire. Validity of the research instrument was established after being examined for logical content by university subject matter specialists. Internal reliability was estimated through Cronbach’s alpha coefficient of reliability at α= .83 while external reliability was estimated by using Pearsons’s correlation coefficient in which a coefficient of r = .81 was realized. Regression analysis was carried out on quantitative data and descriptive statistics used to establish relationships between the dependent and the independent variables. The findings were presented as proportions in tables and discussed. The study established a statistically significance relationship of effects of teachers’ work life balance on students’ performance (R² =-0.172, F=50.773, p=0.000) as well as students’ perceptions of the teachers work planning on their performance at (R²=0.119, F=317.541, P=0.000).  This meant that about 17.2 percent of students performance could be attributed to teacher’s work-life balancing and 11.9% would be attributed to teachers’ ability to plan and manage their work according to their students, respectively, other factors constant. On the challenges affecting the teacher that would impact on a students’ academic performance, the study further found a statistically significant relationship (R²=0.238, F=53.305, P=0.000). This means that about 23.8 percent of students performance was impacted positively or negatively by challenges facing their teachers. The study concluded that teachers must balance the personal and work life well and manage their time if students’ performance was expected be high. The teachers would also need to sort out challenges facing them with a view of minimizing them to avoid the same affecting their students’ performance. The study recommended policy changes and retooling of teachers on their expectations in terms of work-life balance, their work planning and time management for performance of their students.

Keywords: Work-life balance, time management, challenges, Academic Performance

DOI: 10.7176/EJBM/15-8-04

Publication date: April 30^th 2023