Abstract:
The main purpose of the study was to assess professional commitment of teachers and its
contribution towards students’ academic achievement in selected secondary schools of
Wolayita zone. To this end, the research employed descriptive survey design. A total of 695
teachers 254 and 236 students’ CGPA were selected by using simple random sampling
method, whereas 14 principals, 6 supervisors and 6 TDP coordinators were included
based on availability sampling. Questionnaire and interviews were employed to collect
data. The data obtained were analysed using statistical tools such as mean, standard
deviations, frequency, percentage, ANOVA, chi-square test and spearman’s correlation
coefficient. Accordingly, the findings revealed that the level of professional commitment of
teachers to their profession and to the learner was high, whereas the professional
commitment of teachers for the colleagues and organization was moderate. However, the
overall professional commitment of teachers was found moderate in the selected secondary
schools. Besides this, the association between professional commitment of teachers and
academic achievement of students was examined and the analysis revealed that there was
moderate association between professional commitment of teachers and students’
academic achievement in selected secondary schools. This indicates that the contribution
of professional commitment of teachers is moderate. Finally, the findings of this study
revealed that lack of recognition of teaching profession in the society; low salary and low
fringe benefits were factors that negatively affected the professional commitment of
teachers. The implication is that teachers’ performance in their profession is low and
which in turn implies that students’ performance and academic achievement was moderate
in the schools studied in the Wolayita zone. Therefore, it is recommended that, the zone
and woreda education expertise, school principals, supervisors, TDP coordinators should
give emphasis on teachers’ professional commitment and find out the reasons and the
areas where teachers have low commitment
