ANALYSIS OF OCCUPATIONAL STRESS OF EARLY CHILDHOOD CARE AND DEVELOPMENT TEACHERS IN BENIN CITY, EDO STATE

Abstract

Occupational stress associated with teaching children in their early years is an emerging public health challenge which requires immediate attention, if the global goal of education for all is to be attained. This study therefore seeks to explore occupational stress amongst early childhood teachers in Benin City. To this end, three research questions were generated. Descriptive survey research design was adopted for the study. The population included all private early childhood schools in Benin City. The sample for the study comprised 150 early childhood teachers selected through purposive sampling technique from private early childhood schools in Benin City. The instrument for the study was the 'Early Childhood Teachers Stress Survey'. The data generated was analyzed using mean and standard deviation. The findings indicated that mean rating for perceived occupational stressors within the teaching environment of early childhood teachers ranges from 3.02 to 3.97 which were considered as moderately to highly stressful. Furthermore, delay in payment of salaries was ranked 1st major stressor with a mean of 3.97. Poor school environment nd was rank 2 with a mean of 3.91. However, children disruptive behavior was rank least (16th) with a mean of 3.02. Additionally, majority of the early childhood teachers agreed that occupational stress experienced by teachers had impact on job performance in the classroom. Based on the foregoing, it was recommended amongst others that Private early childhood tare education and development operators should ensure prompt payment of salaries to their workers and government should ensure proper regulation of operations of private early childhood care provide