Primary School Teachers' Perspective on Stress Triggers: A South African Case Study

Case Study of 2

in becoming a teacher, leavers had weaker self-efficacy beliefs.The authors disagree, arguing that departers have more educational opportunities and employment options, which may contribute to their stress levels.
Nomtshongwana highlights the stressors faced by teachers in developing nations, including South Africa, due to discipline issues, lack of resources, overcrowded classrooms, inability to prepare lessons, insufficient salaries, and lack of management support. 5The poor education system in South Africa is linked to social problems like violence and crime, with schools filled with cases of rape, drug use, and pregnancies resulting from teachers sleeping with students.Since the establishment of democracy in South Africa, significant changes have been implemented in the education sector.The apartheid era provided access to education for the advantaged minority, but the introduction of democratic policies, such as eliminating corporal punishment, has led to students' lack of self-control.This has led to teachers spending more time hearing complaints than teaching, which can be stressful for teachers.The president of South Africa has however criticized these teachers for the happenings in the schools which is unfortunate, looking at how the current school system operates.
According to Pines and Ronen, Teachers often experience occupational stress due to the workload of their professional duties, leading to feelings of diminished value and self-worth. 6The Department of Basic Education (DBE) often allows teachers to function without assistance.An example is a teacher personally handling student transportation, to ensure students arrive early and complete their work without undue pressure.This can be a challenging experience.Teachers face internal and external environmental obstacles that hinder their regular skills, causing exhaustion and stress.Many teachers abandon their careers before they are qualified for retirement.This is due to the difficulties they face at their schools, such as lack of advancement, resource reductions, and lack of professional assistance.In many cases, 'professionals' employed by the DBE to assist teachers lack knowledge of their position or the know-how to inspire administrators or teachers to perform their duties properly.A principal workshop suggested that principals should set positive examples by actively participating in teaching, assessing students, and involving them in learning to overcome teacher stress.However, a senior subject advisor criticized this view, arguing that principals should not be considered role models due to their busy schedules.
With the myriad of challenges discussed, this paper aims to analyses the perspectives of teachers on the daily experiences they face which cause them stress, and what their expectations are.The study focuses on teachers in the primary schools of the Chris Hani East District (CHED) in South Africa.To achieve this purpose, the following objectives will be addressed: a.To identify the stress triggers of teachers in their schools.b.To analyse the strategies teachers use to cope with the stressful school environment.
The findings are presented in the subsequent sections.

LITERATURE REVIEW Teachers' Stress Triggers -A Global Perspective
All over the globe, teachers frequently experience elevated amounts of stress.International studies that examine the stresses faced by instructors seem to suggest that this is a widespread occurrence everywhere. 7Teacher anxiety has received a lot of attention. 8The type and severity of stresses can differ between nations and between institutions.Due to their own assessment of the stressor, teachers' encounters with stress may also differ.In their consideration of teachers' stress, Dunham, and Varma and Bottiania, Durana, Pas, and Bradshaw examined the foremost common sorts of stressors, such as student mischief, enormous work requests, work overload, weak connections with co-workers and the school, poor working conditions, inadequate assets, and the lack of advancement prospects.9 According to a study conducted by Ngidi and Sibiya, the tense problems associated with the classroom room may be due to a lack of resources, school rooms that might be overcrowded, and parents who no longer assist their kids in any way with regard to their education.10Physical functions of schools are referred to as the principal "predictor of teacher stress challenge," in line with several works of research primarily based on trainer surveys.Schwarzer and Hallum posit that everyone believes that instructors are much more likely to preserve training in the end if they accept as true that their faculties have enough assets and facilities. 11Contractual problems have been recognized as the principal source of stress for instructors in Okeke and Dlamini's research of Secondary Schools in Swaziland. 11This aspect also includes a lack of power and influence, the possibility of unemployment, low wages and incentives tied to performance, housing shortages, poorly planned shifts, temporary contracts, and teacher shortages.
Research has proven that interpersonal relationships also cause teachers stress.Comments such as "my partner's arrogance toward my work, "work demands on my relationship with my family," "work demands on my private life," "my relationship with my colleagues," "complaints/criticism from parents or the public," "feeling undervalued," "lack of support from parents," "lawsuits from parents," and "too much supervision" were expressed by the teachers.Other examples include "physical and sexual harassment," "my beliefs conflict with those of my school," "a hostile boss," and "my beliefs conflict."According to Rossouw, these views are also expressed by teachers in South Africa who faced similar challenges in the discharge of their duties.The inconducive work environment led teachers to organize a national strike, which highlighted the organizational needs of the teaching staff which needed to be addressed by the Government and the DBE. 12 Coping Strategies to Alleviate Teachers' Stress According to Israel, teachers do "manage stress by reaching out to friends or family, or they exercise." 13Others turn to less effective strategies like social withdrawal, binge eating, and obsessive behaviours.Teachers who experience "compassion fatigue" are resilient on the inside, which helps them cope with stress.Israel continues that teachers can achieve this with the aid of the proper methods and resources, such as those that enable them to connect with their bodies, minds, and spirits.These methods benefit teachers as well as improve the school's atmosphere in general.He states "The consistent use of those tools typically not only produces a qualitative shift in the social and emotional climate of an organization but also favourably affects other crucial indicators of organizational success." 14ome tried-and-true methods for teachers to reduce stress include self-reflection, cognitive restructuring (turning around negative thoughts), meditation, massage, and exercise.Teachers can go from chaos to coherence.Understanding stress is one way to improve adaptability.Teachers need to feel satisfied with their job by improving the life of a child who ends up valuing himself and learning more or integrating parents into the classroom setting.Emotional reactions that wreak havoc and interfere with performance.Administrators should be aware of how they contribute to teacher stress, and strive to reduce it by ensuring effective leadership and supporting teachers when they need it. 15sing Teacher's Day to educate or strengthen skills that positively influence the school climate is an easy way to show support.Stress management, conflict resolution, communication skills, and effective ways to communicate with parents and teachers should be encouraged.Officials should "dedicate time to professional development programs for teachers to address stress or provide them with strategies to maintain inner peace." 16hey have to additionally offer instructors a quiet area apart from the instructor front room in which they could experience silence and respite all through the college day or in which they could engaged in calming sports like drawing or listening to music.According to Dakduki, instructors should increase coping and adjustment techniques due to the traumatic conditions they face daily, both at college and at home. 17Teachers may also experience burnout and therefore produce poor emotional responses if their cap potential to manage stress is low or confined to basic, poorly evolved coping mechanisms.Dakduki additionally indicates several techniques for managing pressure, all of which have been discovered to lessen pressure and enhance first-class and leisure of life.These techniques encompass conversation with different people, self-help, rest, organization, participating in sports with others, having fun, and self-care (doing sport and exercise every day, getting 8 hours of sleep per night, maintaining a healthy diet, and using rest methods).18

METHODOLOGY
This research utilized a quantitative research method.A limited survey research design was used, which focused on assessing the challenges of primary school teachers.Data gathered in this manner is processed quickly by computing devices, according to Leedy and Omrod. 19 The sample consisted of 100 respondents from two CHED circuits.Post-level 1 school teachers were the focus of the research in schools.The schools were in CHED, in a very rural area.Each circuit consisted of fifty schools chosen at random from a list of 160 schools.27 men and 73 women took part in the survey.
A questionnaire was used to gather the data.To improve the reliability of this questionnaire, 10 teachers who did not take part in the research were asked to complete the surveys prior to the real exploration to test the questionnaire tools.Questionnaires were given to 100 respondents; however, only 91 questionnaires were returned.7 of those questionnaires were spoilt, and 2 were never returned.The data is presented using tables which enable quick understanding.Each presentation of data provides an indication of numerical scores and percentages according to related categories to provide an overview of the data.The visual presentation of data in numbers enables the researcher to offer an analytical description and interpretation of data utilizing a descriptive statistical procedure.The gathered data from the questionnaire were statistically converted using Excel software.The analysis procedures formed part of the overall process of making inferences and drawing conclusions to formulate the findings and recommendations following the survey's aims.

ETHICAL CONSIDERATION
In gathering information to accomplish the goals of the review, the researchers underscored the issue of morals.They made sure to respect the participants' dignity and therefore, adhered to the University of Walter Sisulu University's ethics and strategies.This research was approved by the Higher Degree and Ethics Committee of the Faculty of Education at Walter Sisulu University, and permission was obtained from the CHED.Participation was voluntary and participants were made aware of this fact.The information collected from respondents was kept confidential.The researcher then sought permission from the principal and deputy principal of the educational institution and the school to continue his research in the school.The principal and deputy principal received a letter of authorization from the Ministry of Education and a certificate of ethical approval as proof that the research had been approved.Before the study began, participants were also requested to give their informed consent.Thus, the identities of the participants were not used, and the authors did not harm the participants.This alludes to the source of the data, such as individual questionnaires, and the fact that everyone has the right to disclose particular information.

DISCUSSION
From the data presented in the tables above, it is clear that the factors analysed had certain levels of effect on the teachers and caused them stress.These factors are discussed in subsequent sections.With the issue of promotion, a majority of the respondents stated that the lack of promotion greatly affected them (90%) This view is in agreement with the findings of Dlova, where participants cited the lack of opportunities for advancement as a cause of stress.20These findings also confirm Mvo's view that promotion opportunities contribute to greater teacher job satisfaction. 21n the issue of rationalisation of schools, 86% of the respondents agreed that teacher demotivation in schools can be attributed to the rationalisation process which leads to stress.These findings contradict those of Mvo, who opined that the SMT encouraged and supported teachers at all costs. 22The results, however, confirm Dlova's assertion that favouritism often caused unhappiness among staff, especially when SMT members had to deal with conflict situations.Another problem is the lack of cooperation between SMT and teachers which causes stress. 23These findings also support those of Nomtshongwana who states that one of the "factors" that cause teacher stress is the failure of school management to recognize the contributions of teachers. 24n the question of motivation, the majority of teachers (78%) stated that their school administration staff did not assist them in any way.They thus do not feel appreciated and this causes them to be stressed.This assertion corresponds with Mvo's view that seeking teachers' welfare ensures that they work efficiently and effectively. 25Question four asked teachers the mechanisms they used to relieve stress.The field data showed that teachers routinely engage in exercise as a coping mechanism for stress.School management must thus provide physical fitness facilities for staff.This is a good sign because one of the best ways to reduce stress and improve mental health is to exercise. 26People notice that the body releases stress through physical activity. 27hese training centers can help teachers to reduce work pressure.
Quint et al posit that a well-balanced diet helps teachers deal with stress and Belloc et al. also opine that higher levels of teacher burnout result in better student achievement and more effective teaching. 28Majority of the respondents mentioned that they try to eat a balanced diet.Teacher anxiety plays a significant role in decreasing student achievement.A balanced diet will therefore help stressed teachers manage their tension and will enhance the success of students. 29t was found that teachers consistently seek counselling to cope with stress as the field data shows.The absence of counselling services, the administration's hatred of certain groups at the school, and the passivity of the parents are all detrimental to the mental health of the teacher.These according to Mulaudzi would logically cause the impacted teachers stress. 30he data indicates that to cope with stress, teachers always shied away from competing with others.Any degree of competition is exhausting.An anxious teacher should be able to handle the demanding work climate better if they avoid competing with their co-workers and focus instead on providing instruction. 31ccording to Danetta, instructors with low levels of dedication also have a dearth of strategies for raising the academic standard of their lessons. 32he data also showed that teachers consistently participate in stress-relieving training and development activities.Thus, offering training and development to educators in remote schools would aid in lowering stress levels for both regular educators and those in managerial roles, which would improve performance. 33ajority of the participants agreed that one of the best methods for coping with stress is meditation.It is one of the most well-liked stress-reduction methods that promote both bodily and mental control and wellbeing.The most widely used type of meditation is transcendental meditation, which includes thinking or audibly repeating a phrase to concentrate attention. 34Studies have shown that meditation can lower bodily arousal and worry while also lowering pulse rate and boosting blood flow to the arms and forehead. 35

SUMMARY
From the data gathered, the lack of promotion, support and the issue of rationalisation caused teachers much stress.Teachers perform better if their efforts are recognised by authorities.The data collected confirms the views of other scholarly works on the causes of stress for teachers.The teachers also mentioned strategies they used to cope with their stressors.They include seeking counselling and engaging in health-related and other social activities.The findings and discussions gear towards the fact that well-being of teachers must be the focus of all stakeholders to ensure that they perform their duties efficiently and effectively.

RECOMMENDATIONS
It is recommended that the Department of Education ensure that teachers who are eligible for advancement are promoted, and should also receive salary progression for every educational credential they obtain.The Department of Education should also conduct thorough research before enacting policies and there should be no communication divide between teachers and the DoE regarding matters of policy that can lessen teachers' stress.The DoE must carry out the school's rationalization procedures in a way that respects, inspires, and motivates all the affected teachers.
School administration teams must always assist teachers with issues related to their jobs.The location of their place of employment, teaching materials to be used, meetings, topic committees, staff meetings, evaluation committees, and school events, including sports committees, are just a few examples of the decisionmaking processes that teachers must be a part of.
It is also recommended that the Department of Basic Education should provide fitness amenities for teachers since exercise is one of the best methods to lower stress and enhance mental well-being.School principals should encourage teachers to eat a balanced diet since it will help stressed teachers to cope better.
SMT and School Governing Bodies must invite counsellors twice to their schools to assist teachers in discussing issues that cause them to be stressed.School management must draft a plan that will prevent teachers from competing with each other to prevent teachers' stress.Teachers who are comfortable with meditation can also be encouraged to use it to cope with stress.

CONCLUSION
This paper sought to establish teachers' perspectives on the daily stress triggers they face in primary schools of Chris Hani East District in South Africa and what can be done to alleviate their stress levels.Based on the field data challenges faced by teachers in schools such as the lack of promotion, poor planning of rationalisation of schools and the lack of co-operation between teachers and the school management team often cause teachers to be stressed.Various recommendations have been given to assist policy makers to develop and implement strategies that can help reduce teacher stress levels.Their productivity would therefore be enhanced.