Teacher satisfaction in Abu Dhabi public schools: What the numbers did not say

Ali Ibrahim and Shaikah Al-Taneiji
United Arab Emirates University, UAE

This study bridges a gap in qualitative research on teacher satisfaction in the United Arab Emirates. In line with the two-factor theory, we found that maintenance factors, such as perception of job insecurity, stagnant salaries and perceived heavy teaching loads, had more prominence in explaining teacher dissatisfaction. Motivational factors such as enjoyment of teaching, professional growth, and gratifying feelings derived from working with students were less likely to increase satisfaction if maintenance factors were not fulfilled. The study recommends that policymakers revisit salary structures, ensure transparency regarding termination procedures, and take measures to provide fair workloads for all teachers.
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Authors: Dr Ali Ibrahim (corresponding author) is an associate professor at the United Arab Emirates University, teaching and supervising students in the undergraduate, masters and doctoral programs at the College of Education. He holds a PhD in administrative and policy studies in education from the University of Pittsburgh, USA. His research interests include educational accountability, education policy studies, school leadership, education reform in the Middle East, and teacher professionalism in the Arab Gulf states. Email: ali_saidebrahim@uaeu.ac.ae Dr Shaikah Al-Taneiji is an associate professor at the United Arab Emirates University. She received her PhD in educational leadership and creativity from the University of Colorado, United States, in 2001. Her research interests include school leadership, teacher leadership, learning communities, and the school-family relationship. Currently she serves as the director of academic personnel office at the UAE University. Email: shaikaha@uaeu.ac.ae Please cite as: Ibrahim, A. & Al-Taneiji, S. (2019). Teacher satisfaction in Abu Dhabi public schools: What the numbers did not say. Issues in Educational Research, 29(1), 106-122. http://www.iier.org.au/iier29/ibrahim.pdf