Pre-Retirement Counselling And Self Instruction On Attitude Of Secondary School Teachers Towards Retirement In Imo State

ABSTRACT

This study was carried out to determine the effect of pre-retirement counselling and self-instruction techniques on teachers’ attitude towards retirement in Imo State. The study was guided by seven research questions and seven hypotheses. The study adopted the quasi experimental research design of pretest, post test, non –randomized control group with 3×2 factorial matrixes. The population of the study comprised of all the seven hundred and seventy six (776) teachers in nine Public Secondary Schools in Owerri Municipal Council. The sample of the study was 48 teachers comprising of males and females selected from three (3) secondary schools in Owerri municipal council. An instrument titled ‘Teacher’s Attitude towards Retirement Rating Questionnaire (TATRRQ)’ was used to collect data for the study. The instrument was validated and reliability indices were 0.83 and 0.79 respectively for stability and internal consistency. Data was collected at four (4) phases namely: Pre-treatment phase, the treatment phase, Post-treatment phase and follow-up. Mean and Standard deviation were used to answer the research questions while the analysis of covariance was used to test the null hypotheses at 0.05 levels of significances. The findings revealed that pre-retirement counselling is significantly effective in reducing negative attitude of teachers towards retirement, self-instruction are significantly effective in reducing negative attitude of teachers towards retirement, pre-retirement counselling and self-instruction techniques are significantly effective in reducing negative attitude of teachers towards retirement, pre-retirement counseling has long lasting significant effect in reducing negative attitude of teachers towards retirement, self instruction has long lasting significant effect in reducing negative attitude of teachers towards retirement, pre-retirement counselling and self instruction have long lasting significant effects in reducing negative attitude of teachers towards retirement. Gender had no significant effect in teaching attitude towards retirement when exposed to pre-retirement counseling and self-instruction treatment. It was recommended among others that all stakeholders in education especially the school administrators and Government should update their knowledge and skills on the use of pre-counselling technique and self-Instruction technique that could help develop teachers’ positive attitude towards retirement.

CHAPTER 1

INTRODUCTION

1.1       BACKGROUND TO THE STUDY

A teacher is a person who helps others to acquire knowledge, competences or values. According to Adediran (2014), a teacher is a person who is certified and licensed by a professional body to impact knowledge, skills and values to the learners in order to bring about desirable change which is relatively permanent change in the learners. In a formal setting a teacher teaches the students in the school environment while in the informal setting the teacher can teach the learners outside the formal setting. Thus a teacher should bring about the desirable change while teaching in the senior secondary school. The teaching profession is one which is very sensitive as it involves centrally the shaping of minds, which is why it is often described as a noble profession among few others. Ideally, a teacher should be passionate about the teaching job and sometimes go beyond his or her job description and takes pride in the fact that he or she is taking part in the shaping of something productive and beautiful and would translate in the formation of the best minds that would lead the future generation.

Thus, this is expected to be done during the service years of the teacher. The teachers of public secondary schools are usually employed by the Government who ensure the rules of services of engagement for every teacher under their labour force are duly implemented. However, one such rules of engagement is that the teachers are expected to retire from active teaching services having attained the age of  60 or thirty five (35) years of active services. Hence, retirement from service becomes one of the rules of engagement for teachers in public services.

Retirement is a fluid concept as it evokes different meaning and brings significantly different responses from various individuals. Most people look forward to retirement with mix of excitement and attitude. It is not a homogenous experience for everyone while some individuals view it positively and look forward to it as a wonderful period during which to relieve their lives, develop new interest and escape from the routine of the regimented lives of workers, perceive it with negative feelings in the effect that they associate it within death, in activity, disease, boredom, uselessness and diminished social and economic status. And they feel anxious about whether they will be financially and emotionally ready to deal with the change that retirement would bring, Adewuyi (2012). It is no wonder then, that the literature on retirement is vast and inundated with cookbook theories and principles on how to survive in retirement. The researcher sees retirement as a major life change, which causes a shift in role, another life, a change in social interaction, possibly a strain on their financial resources and most importantly the time for great adjustment. Retirement can be an exciting time filled with new opportunities and challenges or a painful transition that brings boredom, lack of purpose and discouragement, depending on the individual’s perception and planning.

In Imo State, our rescue mission government retired workers are really going through hell to the extent that they are not paid as at when due and most times, half salaries are paid. They have been in court severally with the government of the state, many have died, sick and are bedridden. This has changed the behaviour of teachers towards their work. Some of the them engage in buying and selling, coming to school late, no time preparing for classes, neglecting the students under their care, in most cases there are traces of professional abuse of dating students, lying to be sick while they are not. If teachers behaviour is abnormal towards his/her job or undesirable, there are certain problems associated with it. Such problems may prevent the teachers from bringing out their abilities and potentials in their place of work. Based on the personal experience of the researcher in her place of work and in the state where she is teaching, many teachers exhibit different attitudes towards their work. This attitude to work has posed the serious problems to many teachers due to the way the retirees are being treated which is the main focus of this study.

Retirement has been defined as a state of being withdrawn from business, public life or active service. Retirement according to Abubakar (2013) is the point where an individual ceases from being employed completely. Akinade (2011) viewed retirement as ending participation in workforce, usually due to age. Uneze-Amby and Nnubia (2018) defined retirement as the act of retiring from ones job. In this regard, it can be said to be the concluding stage of the occupational cycle which is experienced by teachers who are employed. Retirement is a transition from active working life to non-active working life of the individual.

In Nigeria, retirement exists in three forms which are the voluntary retirement, compulsory retirement and mandatory retirement (Osborne, 2012). These three forms of retirement involve emotional, psychological, as well as financial challenges. Thus, workers have to prepare well ahead of time. In line with this, most people look forward to retirement with mix feeling of excitement, anxiety and attitude (Olatomide, 2016 ). In this respect, it is not a homogenous experience for everyone; while some individuals view it positively and look forward to it as a wonderful period during which to relieve their lives, develop new interest and escape from the routine of the regimented lives of workers, others perceive it with negative feelings in the effect that they associate it within death, inactivity, disease, boredom, uselessness and diminished social and economic status. The greatest challenges that face typical Nigerian teachers throughout their working life after retirement. This is because retirement often comes with the reduced income and sometimes at a time when one’s monthly expenditure is far in excess of what is received in wages (Wilson & Aggrey, 2012).

Retirement is typically associated with attendant stress for the average employee especially in a country like Nigeria with austere economic policies, as this is one of the challenges confronting the retirees. The other challenges the retirees face in Nigeria include: insufficient financial resources,  problem of securing residential accommodation, the challenge of a new and low social status,  difficult health and challenges of declining health and  Domestic Violence (Uneze-Amby & Nnubia 2018). However, these challenges faced by retirees if not properly addressed will pose a threat to the post work experience of retiree teachers. The phobia of the challenges for retirement and the reality of retirement itself has reduced many retirees to a state of confusion. Ali (2012) explained that retiree teachers develop a defeatist attitude overnight and for the rest of their lives struggle to accept retirement not as a new phase of the life but as a step away from the grave. He also pointed out that loss of self-confidence is the direct result of retirement as the retiree is stripped of all prestige and respect previously enjoyed while in active service. Abebe (2012) pointed out that retirees are victims of psychological trauma due to the nature of the Igbo society where a man is judged dispassionately according to his tangible and visible achievement. In other words, nobody is interested in stories of government about in paying retirement benefits but solid accomplishments on the part of the retirees. Hence this has seriously influenced the attitude of the retiree teachers for post work experience.

Attitude refers to feelings, beliefs and reactions of an individual towards an even phenomenon, object or person (Cooper, Donald, Schindler & Pamela, 2010). Attitudes are not innate. Attitudes of mankind are learned responses (Adewuyi, 2012). Attitudes are seen as anchored within the individual and influenced by situation and circumstances. They are stable and their conceptualization as a stable entity means that they are supposed to be measurable in all aspects. It is an important variable that could determine whether retirement is acceptable to civil servants or not because as indicated by Obasa (2011), some civil servants expressed positive attitude while the disposition of others are negative. Elezua (2013) contended that retirement is like a bitter bill to take for some civil servants.

The attitude a retiree teacher displays towards retirement goes a long way in influencing the individuals overall behaviour. By implication, retiring from work will have both positive and negative effect on a retiree. The effects of retirement on an individual will equally be determined by his or her attitude towards retirement. Akinade (2011) stated that one’s positive attitude to retirement helps a retiree to mobilize his economic resources, to minimize attitudes, engage in leisure and free himself or her from routinized work life pattern. Some attitudes to retirement leads to increased psychosomatic problems which are caused by retirement stress, emanating from anxiety over the retirees economic plight, health and loss of self-esteem. Danlarni (2012) noted that all these attitude manifested when monthly salary are no longer being paid to the retirees and at the same time, pension and gratuity are not forth coming. Thus such a condition could lead a would-be-retiree teacher to untimely death or a serious health condition if they are not effectively assisted through pre-retirement counselling. There is need for pre­retirement counselling and self-instruction for teachers before embarking on retirement to find out its effects on negative attitudes of teachers towards retirement.

Pre-retirement counselling, according to Atchley (2012), is a therapeutic counselling a worker receives before going into retirement. It is a method of counselling which teaches people how to make expenditure profile low during working life so as to enjoy retirement and also how to develop the strength to cope with the stresses and problems of retirement. Pre-retirement counselling is being given by a professional counsellor to workers who are not yet retire, such as responsible attitude towards retirement. Akinade (2011) noted that pre-retirement counselling is a psychological counselling or treatment given to workers in service before going into retirement. It provides information and assistance to near retirement workers in order to maximize their potentials while at work or out of work. Pre-retirement counseling is the act or process of imparting or acquiring general knowledge, developing the powers of reasoning and judgment and generally preparing oneself or others intellectually for mature life. Pre-retirement counselling is one of the major milestones in the lifetime of a person. However, pre-retirement have been found to be effective in reducing pre-retirement anxiety associated with retirement. To this extent, Atchley (2012) in his findings revealed that pre-retirement conselling helps to reduce pre-retirement anxiety, thus it was on this the present study will seek to find out the effect of preretirement counselling on the attitudes of teachers towards retirement.

Self-instruction is another technique employed in this study. It is derived from cognitive learning theories of Albert Ellis (1962), Donald Meichenbaum (1997) and Jerenko (1982). These scholars believed that man is born with innate abilities and that he is equipped with capacity to think and reason. Man is not a mere passive recipient of sensory stimulations that impinge on him and through which he learns. The underlying principle here is that each individual has experiences and hereafter set goals for the future. In line with such goals, he sets some standards of behaviour for himself and endeavours to conform to such standards. The individual can assume responsibilities for his actions; therefore, self-instruction involves careful and regular observation of one’s behaviour. In this therapy, the person who seeks to alter his behaviour defines precisely the behaviour to be attained.

Self-instruction strategy is a self-regulation strategy that individuals can use to manage themselves as learners and direct their own behaviour while learning. It is a strategy by which individuals self-tutor and self-monitor themselves. In particular, the self-instruction strategy generates intervention therapy effect for socially anxious individuals. Thus, significantly reducing anxiety and increasing positive self-dialogue and acceptance by companions (Chen, Du Wang & Zhang, 2017). Self-instruction refers to the psychological process through which individuals use the inner language to guide or normalize their own behaviour or emotion (Chang, & Chien, 2009). This technique has been applied successfully by Ugwuegbulam (2017) in reduction of shyness behaviour among adolescents and Agbaenyi (2011) in the reduction of aggression among primary six pupils in Owerri North Local Government Area of Imo State. These techniques mentioned above are aimed at helping individual teachers acquire a wholesome behaviour which will help them to caution the negative perception about retirement.

Furthermore, to adopt a wholistic approach in finding the effect of pre­retirement counselling and self- instruction technique on the attitudes of teachers towards retirement, it will be necessary to examine influence of gender as a moderating variable. Gender is the concept of maleness and masculinity or femaleness and femininity. Gender, according to Okeke (2011) is the social or cultural characteristics, roles or behaviuor which male and female are known for by society. The influence of gender on personality has been frequently studied by various authors. One’s gender identity is the sense one’s self as male or female anddoes not refer to one’s sexual orientation or gender role (Brems, 2011). According to him, gender role refers to the behaviours as masculine or feminine, but these behaviours are not necessarily a direct component of gender or gender identity. The problem of different attitudes and behaviour of gender has attracted many scholars’ interest for a long time (Brems, 2011). There are some generalizations that males(men) suffer more about retirement than females (women) and that the women look stronger in terms of dealing with retirement than men. Reacting to this assumption, Brems (2011)stated that scholars believe that gender issues do not determine how people ascribe pre-retirement and self-instruction to various matters in their lives.

The characteristic of men or women is probably not a reason for negligence and carelessness to ones’ attitude towards retirement but can better be thought of as a variable following the person to identify his or her confidence, interests and personal ability in order to maintain orderliness in regard to a variety of daily life considerations. As stated by Agulanna and Agulanna (2016), psychologists believe that man indeed is the architect of his/her own fortune, habit and master of his own destiny. They have ability to determine their state of attitude towards retirement irrespective of their gender. Boys and girls are expected to be aware of the trend in relation to retirement. However, the researcher in the present study applied two psychological treatment therapies of pre-retirement counselling (PRC) and Self-instructional Techniques (SIT) to find out their effect on teachers’ attitude towards retirement.

1.2       STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM

During retirement, a worker is expected to quit from doing a particular work for which he/she has been known over 30 years which implies that the service of the individual is no longer required and as such is expected to rest after putting so much number of years in the service. The compensation of this is usually the monthly pension in which the retiree is placed on. Their pension package is released to them as at when due, but the reverse is the case today. The state of retired teachers in public secondary schools in Imo State has been a source of worry and setback to the school system, especially to the teachers nearing retirement. This unpleasant state is traceable to the non-payment of teachers salaries and allowances while in service, gratuity and pension as at when due after retirement. This has caused untold hardship to them. In the present dispensation, it is a common observation that many serving teachers either are not well paid or they are paid half their salaries, and these have led staff into changing their records, that is, date of appointment, age and date of birth, all in the bid to stay longer in the service. Teachers who are over-aged and unproductive now remain in service longer than the thirty five years or 60 years of age recommended by the government. There is no gain saying that the attitude to retirement by teachers pose serious problem such as ill health, untimely death, boredom amongst others in the school system. This led to many teachers displaying negative attitude to work. Efforts that have been made to reduce teacher’s negative attitude towards retirement yielded no appreciable result. Thus, it was on this basis that the present study sought to determine the effect of pre-retirement counselling and self instruction technique in improving the negative attitude of teachers towards retirement.

1.3       PURPOSE OF THE STUDY

The main purpose of this study is to investigate the effects of pre-retirement counselling and self-instruction techniques on teachers’ attitudes towards retirement in Imo state. Specifically the study sought to:

1. Establish the mean score difference in the attitude of subjects exposed to pre­retirement counselling and control group at pre-test and post-test.
2. Ascertain the mean score difference in the attitude of subjects exposed to self-instruction technique and control group at pre-test and post-test.
3. Determine the mean score difference in the attitude of subjects in the experimental groups and control at pre-test and post-test.
4. Ascertain the mean score difference in the attitude of subjects exposed to pre­retirement counselling and control group at follow up.
5. Determine the mean score difference in the attitude of subjects exposed to self- instruction technique and control group at pre-test and follow up.
6. Determine the mean score difference in the attitudes of the experimental groups and control at pre-test and follow up.
7. Find the mean score difference in the attitude of the experimental groups and control at follow up only as influenced by gender.

1.4       SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY

The outcome of this study on the effects of pre-retirement counselling and self-instruction technique on the attitudes of teachers towards retirement, if published, would be of immense benefits to the following; teachers, students, policy makers, counsellors, State Secondary Education Management Board (SEMB/MOE) and researchers.

To the teachers, the findings of this study would provide them information on how pre-retirement counselling and self-instruction technique influence their attitude towards retirement. Hence the findings would also make them to adjust to the post work life experience as well prepare adequately for life after the active teaching service. The teachers can as well be able to make referrals or even use the two techniques if proved to be effective at the end of the study. This the teachers would benefit from the findings of this study which will be revealed through conferences, seminars and workshops on retirement.

To the students, the findings of the study would enable them to know if the pre-retirement counselling and self-instruction technique influences their teachers attitude towards retirement. Hence the result of the study would also benefit them since it also be translated into effective instructional delivery of the teachers since the teachers will make adjustment in preparing for post work experience without imparting on the students negatively. Hence it would enable students learn better.

To the policy makers, the findings of the study would provide them information on whether pre-retirement counselling and self-instruction technique hasany effect teachers attitude towards retirement. Hence, the information provided would enable them to formulate policy that will make pre-retirement counselling and self-instruction technique compulsory for all teachers irrespective of gender of the teachers. Also the findings study would also be used in developing in-school programmes which emphasizes pre-counselling and self-instruction and equip teachers with necessary competences towards fruitful post work life.

To the school counsellors, the findings of the study would provide them information on the effect pre-retirement counselling and self-instruction technique has on the teachers attitude towards retirement. Hence, the information provided would enable them to adequately counsel the teachers using the pre-retirement counselling and self- instruction technique. These would make the teachers to adjust well and prepare well for life after active service towards enhancing their effective instructional delivery in the school.

To the Secondary Education Management Board (SEMB), the findings of the study would reveal the effectiveness of pre-retirement counselling and self-instruction technique on the attitude of teachers towards retirement, thus the findings would assist the board to develop and implement well-structured guidance and counselling programmes that will emphasize on teachers’ retirement. To intending researchers, the findings and the study would also be of immense significance to intending researchers who will carry out studies similar to this study, as it will provide them with adequate reference materials for their study and an adequate justification for further study. It will also availed them adequate opportunity to appraise and constructively criticize the study with a view to finding gaps which their own study will fill up. These they will benefit through by getting first hand information of the research work or through publication of the research work.

1.5       RESEARCH QUESTIONS

The following research questions were posed for the study

1. What is the mean score difference in the attitude of subjects exposed to pre­retirement Counselling and Control group at pre-test and post-test?
2. What is the mean score difference in the attitude of subjects exposed to self-instruction technique and control group at pre-test and post-test?
3. What is the mean score difference in the attitude subjects in the experimental groups and control at pre-test and post-test?
4. What is the mean score difference in the attitude of subjects exposed to pre­retirement counselling and control group at pre-test and follow up?
5. What is the mean score difference in attitude of subjects exposed to self- instruction technique and control group at pre-test and follow up?
6. What is the mean score difference in the attitudes of the experimental groups and control at pre-test and follow up?
7. What is the mean score differences in the attitudes of the experimental groups and control at follow up only as influence by gender.

 1.6   HYPOTHESES

The following null hypotheses were formulated and tested at 0.05  level  of significance:

Ho­­₁:     There is no significant mean difference in the attitude of subjects exposed to pre­retirement counselling and control group at pre-test and post-test.

Ho₂:     There is no significant mean difference in the attitude of subjects exposed to self- instruction technique and control group at pre-test and post-test.

Ho₃:     There is no significant mean difference in the attitude of the experimental groups and control at pre-test and post-test.

Ho₄:     There is no significant mean difference in the   attitude of subjects exposed to pre-retirement counselling and control group at pre-test and follow up

Ho₅:     There is no significant mean difference in the attitude of subjects exposed to self- instruction technique and control group at pre-test and follow up.

Ho₆:     There is no significant mean difference in the attitude of the experimental groups and control at follow up.

ho_7:     There is no significant mean difference in the attitude of subject in the experimental groups, control at follow up only as influence by gender.

1.7 SCOPE OF THE STUDY

This study was delimited to all the Public Secondary Schools in Owerri Municipal Council in Owerri Education Zone I of Imo State. The study was focused on reducing negative attitude of teachers towards retirement. The study would be delimited to two behavioural therapeutic packages namely pre-retirement counselling and self-instruction techniques. The subjects of the study were the secondary school teachers who have five to ten years to retire both males and females with negative attitude towards retirement. The study tested the effectiveness of these two therapies in the reduction of negative attitude among teachers in the secondary schools at both post-test and follow-up assessment periods. Gender was used as a moderating variable.

Pages:  130

Category: Project

Format:  Word & PDF         

Chapters: 1-5                                                      

Material contains Table of Content, Abstract and References.