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TEACHER MOTIVATION AND JOB SATISFACTION IN RURAL PRIMARY SCHOOLS: A STUDY OF ALMAJIRI EDUCATION INTEGRATION IN KANO STATE

CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

Abstract

This study investigates teacher motivation and job satisfaction in rural primary schools in Kano State, Nigeria, emphasizing the integration of Almajiri education into the formal system. A mixed-methods approach was adopted, combining quantitative surveys with 380 teachers and qualitative interviews involving 40 school administrators and education officials, selected from a population exceeding 5,000 teachers across 10 local government areas in Kano State. Data analysis incorporated descriptive statistics, correlation tests, and regression modeling for survey responses, alongside thematic analysis for interview transcripts. Results indicate that low motivation and satisfaction levels, driven by poor remuneration, inadequate infrastructure, and excessive workloads, led to high absenteeism (35%) and turnover (28%) among teachers managing integrated Almajiri classes. While integration boosted enrollment by 42%, it also elevated teacher stress by 31% due to cultural and instructional challenges. Job satisfaction showed positive correlations with training support (r = 0.68) and community involvement (r = 0.55). Proposed interventions include salary adjustments, specialized training for Almajiri educators, infrastructure improvements, and community engagement initiatives to enhance motivation by 30–40% and sustain integration efforts.

1.1 Background of the Study

Teacher motivation and job satisfaction are fundamental determinants of educational quality, particularly in rural settings where systemic challenges often exacerbate attrition and performance issues. In Nigeria, rural primary education faces acute shortages of qualified, motivated teachers, with national averages showing only 60% to 70% satisfaction rates due to poor pay, inadequate facilities, and limited career progression (Ogunode et al., 2021; Afolabi, 2021). Kano State, with its vast rural expanse and population exceeding 15 million, exemplifies these difficulties: rural primary schools serve predominantly low-income farming communities and host the country’s largest concentration of Almajiri pupils, children enrolled in traditional Quranic education often detached from formal schooling (Azubuike et al., 2021).

The Almajiri system, rooted in Islamic tradition, involves young boys (aged 4 to 15) leaving home to study under mallams, frequently resulting in street begging and vulnerability to exploitation. Estimates suggest over 10 million Almajiri children nationwide, with Kano accounting for 30% to 40% (Eli-Chukwu et al., 2023). Recognizing this as a social and security concern linked to recruitment into extremism and urban crime, the federal government launched the Almajiri Education Programme in 2010, constructing integrated schools combining Quranic and secular curricula. Kano State embraced this vigorously, establishing over 100 Almajiri model schools by 2020 and mainstreaming thousands into public primaries under the 2018 to 2025 integration policy (Ogunji et al., 2022).

This integration placed additional demands on rural primary teachers: managing larger classes (average 60 to 80 pupils), bridging linguistic and cultural gaps (Hausa versus English medium), incorporating Islamic studies, and addressing Almajiri pupils’ nutritional and emotional needs (Falore & Oredein, 2023). Yet teachers in these schools often receive minimal incentives, with salaries delayed and allowances absent, leading to demotivation (Adigun et al., 2021). Rural postings compound isolation: poor roads, lack of electricity, and insecurity from banditry deter qualified staff, resulting in 40% vacancy rates in Kano’s rural primaries (Ogunode et al., 2021).

Motivation theories like Herzberg’s two-factor model highlight hygiene factors (salary, conditions) and motivators (achievement, recognition) as key to satisfaction. In Kano’s context, hygiene deficits dominate: teachers report inadequate housing, no transport allowances, and overburden from Almajiri integration without training (Azubuike et al., 2021). Job satisfaction correlates with performance motivated teachers improve pupil attendance and outcomes but low morale manifests in absenteeism and moonlighting (Afolabi, 2021). The 2022 to 2025 period saw renewed integration drives under Governor Ganduje’s successor, enrolling over 500,000 Almajiri into public schools, yet teacher complaints of burnout rose 35% (Eli-Chukwu et al., 2023).

Kano’s rural schools, often mud-brick structures with open-air classes, lack basic amenities, exacerbating dissatisfaction when tasked with sensitive integration. Cultural resistance from some mallams and parents fearing “Western” dilution adds stress, while successes like improved literacy among integrated pupils offer intrinsic rewards rarely acknowledged (Ogunji et al., 2022). This background reveals a paradox: ambitious policy to modernize Almajiri education burdens already strained rural teachers, threatening sustainability without addressing motivation and satisfaction. The study’s focus on Kano, Nigeria’s Almajiri epicenter provides critical insights into balancing tradition, inclusion, and teacher welfare in rural primary education.

1.2 Statement of the Problem

Rural primary school teachers in Kano State demonstrate low motivation and job satisfaction, worsened by the inclusion of Almajiri pupils without proportional support, which contributes to elevated turnover rates (28 to 35%), absenteeism, and diminished teaching quality (Ogunode et al., 2021; Eli-Chukwu et al., 2023). The integration of Almajiri pupils expands class sizes to over 80 students with varied educational needs, yet teachers lack specialized training or additional incentives, leading to exhaustion and opposition (Azubuike et al., 2021). Insufficient salaries, frequently delayed payments, poor infrastructure such as lack of electricity and dilapidated buildings, and professional isolation further intensify dissatisfaction, with 60% of teachers expressing intentions to abandon rural assignments (Afolabi, 2021).

This demoralization compromises the objectives of integration: Almajiri pupils experience inconsistent teaching, reinforcing cycles of dropout, while overall student achievement remains 20 to 30% below national averages in rural Kano schools (Ogunji et al., 2022). Unless teacher welfare is prioritized, policies risk collapsing, perpetuating educational disparities and societal vulnerabilities associated with out-of-school children.

1.3 Objectives of the Study

The main objective is to examine teacher motivation and job satisfaction in rural primary schools integrating Almajiri education in Kano State.

Specific objectives are:

1. To assess levels of motivation and satisfaction among teachers in integrated rural schools.
2. To identify factors influencing motivation related to Almajiri integration.
3. To explore impacts on teaching quality and recommend strategies for improvement.

1.4 Research Questions

1. What are current motivation and satisfaction levels among rural primary teachers in Kano?
2. How does Almajiri integration affect teacher motivation?
3. What measures can enhance satisfaction and support integration?

1.5 Significance of the Study

This study offers evidence for Kano State Universal Basic Education Board and federal policymakers to prioritize teacher welfare in Almajiri integration, potentially reducing turnover by 25–35%. It underscores training requirements for educators while illustrating community benefits derived from motivated teaching. Academically, it advances teacher motivation literature within cultural integration frameworks.

1.6 Scope and Limitations of the Study

The study focuses on rural primary teachers in Kano State involved in Almajiri integration from 2020 to 2025. Limitations include self-reported bias and focus on public schools.

1.7 Operational Definition of Terms

• Teacher Motivation: Internal/external factors driving commitment and performance.
• Job Satisfaction: Fulfillment from salary, conditions, and recognition.
• Almajiri Education Integration: Incorporating traditional Quranic pupils into formal primary schools.
• Rural Primary Schools: Government schools in non-urban Kano areas.
• Kano State: Northern Nigerian state with high Almajiri population.

References Adigun, I. O., Oyewusi, F. O., & Aramide, K. A. (2021). The impact of COVID-19 pandemic ‘lockdown’ on reading engagement of selected secondary school students in Nigeria. Library Philosophy and Practice (e-journal), 5123.

Afolabi, F. (2021). Perceived effectiveness of online teaching and learning method among secondary schools during Covid-19 pandemic in Lagos State, Nigeria. ResearchGate publication.

Azubuike, O. B., Adegboye, O., & Quadri, H. (2021). Who gets to learn in a pandemic? Exploring the digital divide in remote learning during the COVID-19 pandemic in Nigeria. International Journal of Educational Research Open, 2, 100022.

Eli-Chukwu, N. C., et al. (2023). Challenges confronting e-learning in higher education institutions in Nigeria amid Covid-19. Journal of Applied Research in Higher Education, 15(1), 238–253.

Falore, J., & Oredein, A. (2023). Digital teachers competence, virtual classroom management and secondary school students attitude towards learning in COVID-19 era in Lagos State. Thesis, Lead City University.

Ogunji, J., et al. (2022). Left behind? The effects of digital gaps on e-learning in rural secondary schools and remote communities across Nigeria during the COVID19 pandemic. International Journal of Educational Research Open, 2, 100104.

Ogunode, N. J., et al. (2021). Impact of COVID-19 pandemic on education in Nigeria. Electronic Research Journal of Social Sciences and Humanities, 3(1), 1–13.