Psychological Attitude of Primary School Teachers towards Retirement in Kaura Local Government Area, Kaduna State

Abstract

This study investigated the psychological attitude of primary school teachers towards retirement in Kaura Local Government Area of Kaduna State, Nigeria. The study specifically examined the effect of pre-retirement counselling on teachers’ psychological attitude towards retirement. A true experimental design was adopted, involving 40 primary school teachers randomly assigned to experimental and control groups. The instrument used for data collection was the Pre-Retirement Counselling and Attitude of Primary School Teachers Questionnaire (PCAPSTQ), which was validated by experts and had a reliability coefficient of 0.84 using Cronbach Alpha. The experimental group received an eight-week pre-retirement counselling intervention, while the control group was exposed to a placebo. Data collected were analyzed using mean, standard deviation, and independent sample t-test at 0.05 level of significance. Findings revealed that the experimental group recorded a higher post-test mean score (x̅ = 30.10) compared to the control group (x̅ = 18.90), with a mean difference of 11.20. The t-test result (t(38) = 5.95, p < 0.05) indicated a significant effect of pre-retirement counselling on teachers’ psychological attitude towards retirement. The study concluded that pre-retirement counselling effectively enhances teachers’ psychological readiness for retirement by reducing anxiety and fostering positive attitudes. It was recommended that Kaduna State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB) institutionalize pre-retirement counselling for teachers to ensure emotional preparedness, mental well-being, and successful post-retirement adjustment.