Stressors in the professional lives of South African secondary school educators

We identify current stressors in the professional lives of South African secondary educators. The study was exploratory, using a questionnaire, which 19 possible causes of stress and was completed by 987 educators from racial groups and provinces in the country. South African educators in currently experience the following as stressors: uninvolved parents, poor discipline, lack of learner motivation, learners’ negative attitudes towards , numerous changes inside and outside the school, and lack self-esteem. Male and female educators differed significantly in their perceptions some stressors. Educators with six to 15 years of experience and were between 36 and 45 years old differed significantly from others on issues.