Job Satisfaction and Teaching Efficacy among Secondary School Teachers in Karnali Province, Nepal

Abstract

Job satisfaction and teaching efficacy are key determinants of instructional quality, teacher retention, and student learning, yet limited empirical evidence examines their multidimensional relationship among secondary teachers in remote and underdeveloped contexts such as Karnali Province, Nepal, where adverse working conditions, limited resources, and constrained career opportunities may affect professional effectiveness. This study aimed to assess the influence of job satisfaction on teachers’ teaching efficacy in secondary schools of Karnali Province, Nepal, with specific attention to intrinsic factors, salary, promotion and service conditions, physical facilities, and relationships with co-workers. A descriptive correlational research design was employed. Data were collected from 100 secondary-level teachers selected through purposive sampling from community schools across Karnali Province. The two standardised tools, the Job Satisfaction Scale and the Teachers’ Self-Efficacy Scale, were used. Descriptive statistics, Pearson’s product-moment correlation, and multiple linear regression analyses were employed using SPSS at the 0.01 significance level. The findings indicated a strong and statistically significant positive relationship between overall job satisfaction and teaching efficacy (r = .800, p < .01). Multiple regression analysis showed that job satisfaction factors jointly explained 65.1% of the variance in teaching efficacy. Salary, promotion, and service conditions (β = .332) and intrinsic factors (β = .329) showed the relationship with teaching efficacy, followed by relationships with co-workers (β = .255) and physical facilities (β = .221). All four factors were significantly related to teaching efficacy.  Enhancing both intrinsic and extrinsic aspects of teachers’ work conditions is essential for strengthening teaching efficacy and improving educational quality in remote contexts.