Abstract:
The study investigated the relationship between headteachers reward systems and teacher work engagement in secondary schools in Mbale municipality, Uganda. The objectives of the study included determining the level at which headteachers reward systems are used in secondary schools, determining the level of teachers work engagement in secondary schools and examining the relationship between headteachers reward systems and teacher work engagement in secondary schools in Mbale municipality. The study sought to examine the relationship between headteachers reward systems and teacher work engagement in secondary schools in the municipality. The study used sequential explanatory mixed method design. In identifying the sample size, the study used purposive, simple and stratified sampling technique. The study used questionnaires and interview schedules as tools of data collection from respondents. The population was 467 and the sample size of respondents used included 06 head teachers and 209 teachers. The mean, frequencies, percentages, standard deviation and the Pearson correlation analysis were used to analyze data. The study established that the use of headteachers’ reward systems in secondary schools in Mbale municipality is at moderate level (M=13.1626, SD=3.75462), teacher work engagement is at very high level in Mbale municipality secondary schools (M=65.06040, SD=10.80250), and there was a positive significant relationship between headteachers’ reward systems and teacher work engagement in secondary schools in Mbale municipality (r=0.377, p<0,01). The study therefore recommended headteachers’ to further increase the spectrum of the rewards that they offer, the headteachers’ reward schedule be made more frequent, thereby allowing the teachers to experience more rewards and constant appraisal and headteachers must identify the different types of needs of individual teachers and be able to meet them so as to enhance TWE.
