Primary School Teachers In Macao Job Stress And Job Satisfaction

This paper studies how the teachers in Macau feel about their occupational stress and job satisfaction. It also attempts to make appropriate recommendations on the basis of the study. This study can also be a reference for related investigation. In addition, this study aims at improving the teaching quality in Macau by understanding the occupational stress of teachers in Macau and the way to increase their job incentives.An intensive literature review about the occupational stress and job satisfaction of teachers has been done. Based on the literature review, a questionnaire to find out the levels of occupational stress and job satisfaction of teachers has been designed and a survey has been conducted. The study targets are the primary school teachers in Macau who work full-time in public schools, private school, and Church-run schools. Four hundred copies of questionnaires have been issued; three hundred and thirty-eight copies that are valid have been returned. The data was analyzed using statistical methods such as descriptive statistics, t-Test, one way ANOVA and regression.Major findings are concluded below:1. The current conditions of occupational stress and job satisfaction of primary school teachers in MacauGenerally speaking, the level of occupational stress of primary school teachers in Macau is above average and the level of job satisfaction is average. The table for occupational stress shows the factors for occupational stress. The most critical factor is workload; the next one is promotion, then it comes to administrative work and policy making; the least critical factor is the intensive working relationship. The table for job satisfaction shows the teachers are most satisfied with the working environment while the teaching work is the next.2. The relationship between occupational stress and background of primary school teachersThe workload of female teachers is heavier; single and junior teachers are prompt to intensive personal relationships. The occupational stress of primary school teachers in private schools or Church-run schools is higher than the teachers in public schools; which is caused by personal relationships and unattractive salaries. The smaller the school is, the lower salary the teacher gets. The workload of homeroom teachers and teachers taking up concurrent administrative positions are heavier than that of other teachers.3. The relationship between job satisfaction and background of primary school teachers Teachers aged from 31 to 40 are most satisfied with their jobs. Teaching collegegraduates have a greater job satisfaction, especially in the teaching aspect. Primary teachers in private schools are easy to achieve job satisfaction from teaching itself. But teachers inpublic schools are most satisfied with the working environment. When the school size is bigger and the student population is larger, it is easier for the teacher to achieve job satisfaction.4.The level of job satisfaction is easily affected by personal relationships. Obviously, the intensive working relationships between colleagues as well as the support from teachers, students, parents, and management have an impact on the level of job satisfaction for teachers. In other words, the influence of interactions between people is very important in the current working environment of the education industry. The other factors are to be explored.5.The current conditions of occupational stress and job satisfaction mainly shows the negative ways, it means: as the stress grows higher the satisfaction of the job grows lower.Accordingly, this paper makes recommendations on four aspects: the administrative units in education, the school education, the primary school teachers, and the teacher training. In addition, this paper also points out possible studies in future on the basis of the current findings.