Enoghase Itua Erasmus

OCCUPATIONAL STRESS AND CLASSROOM PERFORMANCE OF TEACHERS IN PUBLIC SECONDARY SCHOOLS IN ESAN WEST LOCAL GOVERNMENT AREA OF EDO STATE ABSTRACT This study investigated the relationship between occupational stress and classroom performance of teachers in public secondary schools in Esan West L.G. A of Edo State. Specifically, the study examined the level of classroom performance of teachers in public secondary schools in Esan West L.G. A of Edo State, examined the relationship between workload, administrative pressure and classroom performance of teachers in public secondary schools in Esan West L.G. A of Edo State. Correlational research design was employed in this researcher work. The study population consisted of 76 teachers from public secondary schools in a Esan West L.G.A of Edo State. Two adapted instruments titled: Occupational Stress Questionnaire (OSQ) and Teachers’ Class Performance Questionnaire (TECLAPEQ) were used. The reliability of the instrument was established using the Cronbach Alpha method. Descriptive statistics, specifically mean and standard deviation were used to answer Research Question 1, while Hypotheses 1 and 2 were tested using the Pearson Product Moment Correlation Coefficient at the 0.05 level of significance. The results showed that there was a significant relationship between occupational stress and classroom performance of teachers in public secondary schools in Esan West L.G. A of Edo State. The study also found that the level of classroom performance of public secondary schools teachers in Esan West L.G. A of Edo State was low. It was therefore recommended, among other things, that school principals should lessen administrative burdens on teachers by establishing a supportive management system that enables them to dedicate more time and attention to classroom teaching in the study area. Key words: Occupational Stress, Classroom Performance, Teachers 1 INTRODUCTION Teachers are professionals who play an important part in delivering education in society. They are expected to pass on knowledge, practical skills, and values to students so that learners can grow into responsible and useful members of the community. Teachers not only teach but also help guide students in their academic paths. Their roles include both teaching in the classroom and taking care of other school duties. As noted by Osayamen, Imoroa, and Osarenren-Osaghae (2020), teaching responsibilities also called classroom performance include: planning lessons, delivering them effectively, giving and marking tests or assignments, and managing classroom activities. In other words, classroom performance shows how well a teacher carries out these duties. This includes how they plan and teach lessons, assess students' progress, and manage the class. The main areas of this performance are: how they ask or respond to class questions (class questioning behaviour), how well they control and organize the class (classroom management), and how they relate with students during lessons (classroom interaction). Questioning behaviour helps teachers check students’ understanding at different stages of a lesson. Classroom management means making the best use of classroom space and materials, handling disruptions, and managing time effectively. Classroom interaction refers to how the teacher involves students in the lesson and encourages their participation. It is a two-way process where students are motivated to respond and contribute during lessons (Osayamen et al., 2020). There are many things that can affect how well a teacher performs in class. Some of these come from within the teacher, while others come from outside. Factors from outside (extrinsic) include student behavior, work conditions, school rules, motivation, and stress (Yardibi, 2018; Ertürk & Aydın, 2017). Stress is a feeling of being emotionally or physically overwhelmed, often caused by difficult situations. It happens when someone feels pressured, worried, or upset. Stress is the body’s natural way of reacting to challenges or threats. It can appear in different forms, depending on what causes it. According to Everly and Lating (2019), stress can be divided into types such as short-term (acute), long-term (chronic), emotional, mental, work-related (occupational), financial, social, physical, or even stress caused by the environment or chemicals. This study focuses on occupational stress, which occurs when someone is unable to cope with job demands due to limited ability or support. It is a condition where the expectations at work are more than what a person can handle, and it affects not only their health but also their job performance and quality of output (Fabian, 2022). Occupational stress can affect someone mentally and physically when they are asked to do more than they can manage. When teachers are given too many responsibilities without considering their ability or working conditions, it leads to stress. Some common signs of this type of stress include poor performance, depression, anxiety, trouble sleeping, low self-esteem, anger, or mood swings. The causes of stress in the workplace include too much work, pressure from administrators, poor working relationships, lack of materials, unclear job roles, and conflicts. However, this research focuses mainly on workload and administrative pressure. Workload refers to the large amount of work a teacher may have to do alone, while administrative pressure means being given demanding tasks to complete within a short period. Many scholars have examined how these stressors affect teachers' performance in the classroom. For example, a study by Awodiji, Etejere, Oluwalola, Eniola-Arigbe, Yetunde, Fawale, 2 Afiss Adebayo, and Okechukwu (2019) looked at how principals' ability to relate well with their staff influences teachers’ performance in secondary schools in Patigi Local Government Area, Kwara State. The study used a correlational design and included 180 participants selected from 15 schools. Tools like the Principals’ Human Relation Strategies Questionnaire (PHRSAQ) and the Teachers’ Classroom Performance Questionnaire (TCPQ) were used. These instruments were tested and found reliable. Results showed that many teachers were not performing well. The researchers concluded that when principals do not communicate well or support teachers, it can reduce morale and lead to emotional stress. Poor leadership in schools can make teachers feel unsupported, which increases their stress levels and affects their classroom output. In another study, Akpan (2018) explored the link between job security and teachers’ effectiveness in two universities in Cross River State. The research, involving 500 lecturers, used Chi-square and ANOVA to analyze responses from questionnaires. The findings showed that lecturers who felt secure in their jobs performed better in teaching, research, and communication. While the study focused on university lecturers, it did not consider the special challenges faced by secondary school teachers—such as large class sizes, limited teaching materials, government restrictions, and tough curriculum requirements. Also, while Chi-square and ANOVA were useful, they might not have captured the full picture of how different stress-related factors interact, which is a gap this present study aims to address. King’oina, Kadenyi, and Ngaruiya (2015) carried out a study to see how teachers' teaching activities affect student performance in public primary schools in Marani Sub-County, Kenya. They used an ex-post facto research method and worked with a group of 320 teachers from 64 schools. From this, they randomly picked 100 teachers (about 30%) to take part in the study. A questionnaire was used to gather teachers’ data, and student mock exam scores were collected from the education office. The researchers analyzed the data using simple tools like percentages, averages, and correlation techniques. The findings showed that when teachers planned their lessons well, students performed better. However, the study only looked at primary school teachers, and conditions in secondary schools are different. Secondary school teachers usually face more pressure from a harder curriculum, larger student numbers, and stricter exam expectations. Also, the study took place in Kenya, which has a different school system and social challenges from Nigeria. In Edo State, for instance, issues like poor school facilities, government policy changes, and social problems may affect teachers differently. These differences highlight a gap that this current study intends to fill. In another study, Abay (2021) looked at how well secondary school teachers in Edo State were doing their jobs. The research was guided by four questions and three hypotheses and followed a descriptive design. A sample of 230 teachers was randomly selected out of a population of 2,300 in Edo North Senatorial District using a ballot system. The researcher created a tool called the Teachers Effectiveness Assessment Test (TEAT) to collect data. This tool was checked for quality and content by experts from the University of Benin. The researcher also tested the reliability of the tool using 40 teachers from Edo South. The results were analyzed using averages, percentages, standard deviation, and t-tests. The study found that many teachers were not performing effectively. However, the research did not explain the reasons behind this low performance. The term "job effectiveness" was used broadly without breaking it down to specific classroom tasks like planning lessons, managing students, or teaching methods. Also, the 3 reliability test used a small group from another area, which may not accurately reflect the full teacher population. These gaps make the current study necessary and relevant. Boniface, Omenyi, and Nwankwo (2020) studied the relationship between the working environment and how teachers performed and behaved toward their work in Anambra State’s public secondary schools. Using a correlational survey design, they gathered data from 1,279 teachers chosen from a larger population of over 6,000. They used three different questionnaires one on school culture, another on teachers’ classroom performance, and one on work attitude. These tools were reviewed and approved by experts and had strong reliability scores (.959, .957, and .701). The results showed that teachers generally gave good ratings to their school environments, their classroom work, and their work attitude. However, the study found no strong connection between the school environment and teacher performance or attitude. The research focused more on general practices and values within the school, such as leadership style and organizational rules. It did not look into stress one of the most immediate factors that can affect teachers’ performance. Because this important issue was missed, the findings suggest that workplace culture alone may not be enough to explain how teachers perform, making the focus of this current study on occupational stress even more important. In another study, Larrye, Ogbaga, and Ibenwo (2022) examined how motivation affects the performance of teachers in public secondary schools in Ebonyi State, particularly in Abakaliki LGA. They studied how job safety, regular salaries, and promotions affected teacher commitment, punctuality, and quality of teaching. The researchers used a mix of surveys, interviews, and focus group discussions with 200 people chosen through a mix of purposive and random sampling. These included school principals, vice principals, and other school leaders from nine schools. The tools used were reviewed through a test-retest method. The data was analyzed using averages, percentages, and correlation techniques. The study found that teachers were not performing well. It linked this to poor motivation, especially external factors like salary and job security. However, the study did not consider internal stress factors such as emotional tiredness, pressure from too much work, or lack of time—all of which directly affect daily classroom teaching. Also, since the study was done in Ebonyi State, the findings may not apply to teachers in Esan West LGA of Edo State, who may face different challenges. These differences make this current study more timely and necessary. Bui, Zackula, Dugan, and Ablah (2021) explored how job-related stress affects how well people work in organizations that took part in a wellness program called WorkWell KS. They also looked at how stress and productivity differ by gender and race. The researchers used a survey method and collected data from four different workplaces. They measured stress levels using the Perceived Stress Scale (PSS) and productivity using the Health and Work Questionnaire (HWQ). They used Pearson correlation to find links between stress and productivity, and t-tests to see if results were different across gender and race. Out of 186 participants, most were white (94%), female (85%), married (80%), and had college degrees (74%). The results showed that the more stress people had, the less productive they were (r = -0.35, p < 0.001). Stress also led to lower job satisfaction (r = -0.61, p < 0.001). Male participants reported better relationships with supervisors than females (8.4 vs. 6.9, p = 0.005). The study concluded that stress harms productivity and job satisfaction. However, this research was carried out in general workplaces in the U.S., and not among teachers. Teaching, especially in public schools, comes with its own challenges like 4 managing large classes, meeting academic targets, and dealing with student discipline. Also, the study's participants were mostly white, highly educated, and from a different cultural background. These differences make the study's findings hard to apply to Nigerian teachers, especially those in Esan West LGA of Edo State. This gap makes the current research necessary. In a related study, Baliyan, Pritika, and Mokoena (2018) studied the causes and effects of stress on how well teachers work in private secondary schools in Botswana. The study aimed to find out what stresses teachers, how it affects their job performance, and to suggest solutions. In the first part of the study, they interviewed teachers to help design a questionnaire. Later, 90 teachers were chosen through stratified random sampling and were asked to complete the final survey. Descriptive statistics such as mean and standard deviation were used to analyze the results. The study found that teachers were stressed due to too much workload, unclear school policies, and problems with student discipline. These stressors caused low morale, poor job satisfaction, and conflicts in the workplace. However, this study was done only in private schools in Botswana, which are often better equipped and have more flexible rules compared to public schools. Also, Botswana and Nigeria have different school systems and expectations from teachers. This makes it difficult to directly apply the findings to public schools in Nigeria, which is why the current research is important. Suguna, Ramesh, Vimala, Prem, Adam, Azeyan, and Che (2021) carried out a study in Malaysian government hospitals to examine the relationship between job stress and staff performance. The study involved administrative workers, not teachers. They looked at how stress from heavy workload, work-life balance problems, tight deadlines, and social pressure affected performance. They used surveys to collect data from government hospital staff listed by Malaysia’s Ministry of Health. The results showed that all the stress factors negatively affected work performance. However, the study wrongly referred to "classroom performance" when describing administrative hospital staff, who are not teachers. The environment in hospitals is very different from that in schools, and the types of stress faced by healthcare workers are not the same as those faced by teachers. Also, the idea of "classroom performance" was not clearly explained, which creates confusion. These differences make the findings of that study unsuitable for the educational sector, especially for teachers in Esan West LGA. Abosede, Akinbiyi, and Babalola (2023) looked at how the workload of teachers affected the academic results of students in Irepodun Local Government, Nigeria. Using a correlational study design, they selected 120 teachers from 12 schools (6 public and 6 private) using random sampling. Information was collected using questionnaires and a Biology Achievement Test. Data were analyzed using Pearson correlation and t-tests. The study found that when teachers had too much work, students performed poorly. There were also clear differences in workload between public and private school teachers. However, the study focused only on workload and did not look at other stress factors like classroom discipline, lack of materials, administrative demands, or emotional burnout. It was also carried out in Irepodun, which has different conditions from Esan West LGA. These limitations highlight the need for this current study. In another study, Okodeso (2023) explored how teachers’ workload affects students’ academic results in Social Studies in Delta State. The study involved 200 teachers from 100 schools using a multi-stage sampling method and an ex-post facto design. A questionnaire called 5 the Teachers’ Workload Questionnaire (TWQ) was used, and it had a reliability score of 0.82. Pearson correlation and t-tests showed that heavy teaching duties and administrative tasks negatively impacted students' academic performance. The study recommended reducing teacher workload. However, it only looked at Social Studies teachers, so the results might not apply to teachers of other subjects or in different areas. This limitation makes it important for the present study to investigate a broader set of factors and a more diverse teacher group. Tarimo, Bahati, and Ramadhani (2020) examined how class size and teacher workload affect student academic performance in public secondary schools in Singida Urban, Tanzania. The study used a correlational design and analyzed responses from 260 students and teachers using Pearson correlation and multiple regression. Findings showed that smaller class sizes helped improve student performance, while too much work reduced teacher effectiveness. The study recommended smaller class sizes and reduced workload for better outcomes. However, it only considered workload and class size, without addressing other stress sources like emotional strain, lack of teaching materials, or leadership pressure. Since the research was done in Tanzania, its findings may not be suitable for Nigeria, especially in Esan West LGA. The study also used mainly quantitative methods, which may not capture personal experiences of teachers facing stress—this is a gap the current study hopes to fill. Mutua (2022) studied how principals’ actions affect teachers’ performance in secondary schools in Kathiani Sub-County, Kenya. Data were gathered from 32 principals and 107 teachers using both questionnaires and interviews. The study showed that when principals supervise well, motivate teachers, support their development, and share tasks, teachers perform better. However, it did not consider how stress affects teachers. It also did not investigate what causes stress in schools. Since the study was based in Kenya, the findings may not apply to Nigerian schools, especially those in Esan West LGA. Also, relying mostly on numerical data means the study might have missed the real-life stories and struggles of teachers, which this current research hopes to address. Carmellta (2024) explored how school support services relate to teacher performance in the Misamis Oriental Division. The study focused on how services like access to materials, staff support, and development programs affect teaching quality in areas like content delivery, planning, classroom environment, and assessment. A total of 481 teachers from primary and secondary schools were selected using a stratified random method. The study found a strong connection between support services and teaching performance, and factors such as age, education, and work experience also played a role. However, this research looked mainly at support services and did not include stress as a factor affecting teaching. Also, it used only surveys to collect data, which may not show how teachers personally feel or struggle with stress. This missing link is what the current research wants to explore. Adesegue and Adewuyi (2024) examined how effective school heads are in managing teachers and how that affects job performance. The study used a descriptive design and involved 520 participants. A self-developed questionnaire with a reliability of 0.83 was used. Results showed a strong link between the head teachers’ leadership style, ethics, and management skills and the performance of teachers. While the study focused on how good leadership boosts teacher performance, it did not examine how stress impacts job satisfaction or how administrative practices 6 can reduce stress. The research relied only on numbers, leaving out teachers’ personal stories or emotional experiences, which this study seeks to uncover. Bappah and Shehu (2022) focused on how school administrators in Gombe State affect teacher performance in senior secondary schools. Using a descriptive survey, the study included all 54 administrators in the area. A questionnaire scored on a 4-point scale and validated by experts was used. It had a reliability index of 0.86. Results showed that assigning roles, checking lesson plans, and giving rewards or punishments by school administrators affected teacher performance. But the study did not look at how stress—caused by workload, long hours, or work-life balance— affects teaching. While the study adds to understanding administrative impact, it does not reflect the situation in Esan West LGA, Edo State, where stress may play a bigger role. Recently, concerns have been raised by parents and other stakeholders over students’ poor performance in external exams like WAEC and NECO. Akande (2020) reported a sharp drop in English results in recent years, and the 2023 WAEC Chief Examiners’ Report highlighted low performance in Mathematics. Some teachers in public schools appear to be underperforming and not meeting expected standards. One reason for this is that the Edo State government has not employed new teachers for over 15 years. This has placed more workload and pressure on the few available teachers. The increasing workload and administrative pressure may affect how teachers perform in class, which in turn affects students’ academic success. Therefore, the key question of this study is: What is the relationship between occupational stress and classroom performance of teachers in public secondary schools in Esan West Local Government Area of Edo State? Research Questions a) What is the level of classroom performance of teachers in public secondary schools in Esan West L. G. A of Edo State? b) What is the relationship between workload and classroom performance of teachers in public secondary schools in Esan West L. G. A of Edo State? c) What is the relationship between administrative pressure and classroom performance of teachers in public secondary schools in Esan West L. G. A of Edo State? Hypotheses a) There is no significant relationship between workload and classroom performance of teachers in public secondary schools in Esan West L. G. A of Edo State. b) There is no significant relationship between administrative pressure and classroom performance of teachers in public secondary schools in Esan West L. G. A of Edo State. METHOD This study used a correlational research design to explore the relationship between occupational stress (the independent variable) and teachers' classroom performance (the dependent variable). The study included all 76 teachers from public secondary schools in Esan West Local Government Area of Edo State, as there were not many teachers in the area. Therefore, all the teachers in the 7 region participated in the study. Data was collected using two adapted questionnaires: the Occupational Stress Questionnaire (OSQ) and the Teachers’ Classroom Performance Questionnaire (TECLAPEQ). These instruments were based on a framework developed by Kyriacou & Sutcliffe (1978) and the Annual Performance Evaluation Report for Staff from Ekiti State University. The OSQ had 10 items, grouped into five categories that covered different aspects of occupational stress experienced by teachers. The TECLAPEQ consisted of 9 items, divided into three areas, each reflecting an important aspect of classroom performance. Each item in the TECLAPEQ was rated on a 4-point scale: Very High (4), High (3), Low (2), and Very Low (1). The reliability of the instruments was tested using the Cronbach alpha method. The reliability scores for the different stress areas were as follows: 0.73 for workload, 0.78 for administrative pressure, 0.75 for class management, 0.74 for class questioning behavior, 0.78 for classroom interaction with students, and 0.73 overall. The researcher and two trained research assistants administered the questionnaires to the teachers. Research Question 1 was answered using the mean and standard deviation. A benchmark score of 2.50 was used to assess the level of classroom performance. This was calculated by adding the values of the four ratings (Very High = 4, High = 3, Low = 2, Very Low = 1), giving a total of 10, and dividing by the number of rating categories (4). A score of 2.50 or higher indicated high classroom performance, while a score of 2.49 or below indicated low classroom performance. Hypotheses 1 and 2 were tested using the Pearson Product Moment Correlation Coefficient at a 0.05 significance level. RESULTS Research Question 1: What is the level of classroom performance of teachers in public secondary schools in Esan West L. G. A of Edo State? The results of the analysis are presented in table 1 below. Table 1 : Level of Classroom Performance of Teachers in Public Secondary Schools in Esan West L. G. A of Edo State S/n ̅ 𝐗 N=76 SD Remarks Items Class management 1. Ability to keep his students attentive all through his lesson 3.24 1.15 High 2. Managing the classroom space for delivery of instruction 2.09 0.71 Low 3. Managing the marker board for presentation of lessons in class 1.59 1.00 Low Over all mean = 2.31 Class questioning behavior 4. Responding to students questions promptly 1.55 0.89 Low 5. Encouraging students to ask questions during a lesson 2.00 0.67 Low 6. Rewarding learners who answer questions correctly in class 1.50 0.80 Low Over all mean = 1.68 Classroom interaction with learners 7. Ensuring students participate in the lesson of the day 1.54 0.87 Low 8. Maintaining eye contact with each student during instruction 3.47 0.85 High 8 9. Calling students by name to evaluate them based on the lesson taught 3.19 1.09 High Over all mean = 2.73 Grand mean on classroom performance of teachers = 2.24 ̅< 2.50). * Significant mean (𝐗 The results presented in Table 1 indicate that most of the respondents gave low ratings for items 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, and 7, with mean scores ranging between 1.50 and 2.09. However, higher ratings were recorded for items 1, 8, and 9, which had mean scores between 3.19 and 3.47. Despite these few high ratings, the overall (grand) mean score for teachers' classroom performance was 2.24. Since this grand mean is below the benchmark score of 2.50, it suggests that, on average, the level of classroom performance among public secondary school teachers in Esan West L.G.A. of Edo State is low. In simple terms, while teachers performed well in a few specific areas, their overall classroom performance does not meet the expected standard, indicating a general underperformance across most evaluated aspects. Hypothesis 1: There is no significant relationship between workload and classroom performance of teachers in public secondary schools in Esan West L. G. A of Edo State. The results of the analysis are presented in Table 2 below. Table 2: Relationship Between Workload and Teachers’ Classroom Performance in Public Secondary Schools in Esan West L. G. A of Edo State Variables N ̅ X S.D 3.39 .792 Pearson p-value Remarks r-coefficient Workload 0.418* 76 Teachers’ performance classroom 2.24 0.003 Null hypothesis rejected (p<0.05) .876 . Correlation is significant at the 0.05 level (2-tailed). The data in Table 2 shows that the Pearson correlation coefficient (r = 0.418) reveals a moderate positive relationship between teachers’ workload and their classroom performance. This suggests that as teachers' workload increases, their classroom performance also tends to improve to a moderate extent. The p-value of 0.001 is less than the 0.05 significance level, indicating that the relationship is statistically significant. Therefore, the null hypothesis, which assumed no significant relationship between workload and classroom performance, is rejected. This means that there is a meaningful link between workload and classroom performance among public secondary school teachers in Esan West L.G.A. of Edo State. 9 Hypothesis 2: There is no significant relationship between administrative pressure and classroom performance of teachers in public secondary schools in Esan West L. G. A of Edo State. The results are presented in Table 3. Table 3: Relationship Between Administrative Pressure and Teachers’ Classroom Performance in Public Secondary Schools in Esan West L.G.A of Edo State Variables N ̅ X S.D 3.39 .804 Pearson p-value Remarks r-coefficient Administrative Pressure 0.342* 76 Teachers’ performance classroom 2.13 .876 0.002 Null hypothesis rejected (p<0.05) Correlation is significant at the 0.05 level (2-tailed). The data presented in Table 3 shows that the Pearson correlation coefficient (r = 0.342) reflects a weak positive relationship between administrative pressure and teachers’ classroom performance. This suggests that as administrative pressure increases, classroom performance slightly decreases. The p-value of 0.002 is lower than the 0.05 level of significance, indicating that the relationship is statistically significant. Therefore, the null hypothesis which states that there is no significant relationship between administrative pressure and classroom performance is rejected. This means that administrative pressure does have a significant influence on the classroom performance of teachers in public secondary schools in Esan West L. G.A. of Edo State. Discussion The results of this study showed that teachers in public secondary schools in Esan West Local Government Area of Edo State are performing poorly in the classroom. This low performance might be caused by several work-related challenges. For instance, many teachers work in crowded classrooms without enough teaching materials or proper resources, which makes it hard to teach well. Also, many teachers face high levels of stress due to having to manage large groups of students, complete school tasks outside teaching, and deal with a heavy workload. These conditions can make it difficult for them to focus and teach effectively. This finding agrees with the study by Awodiji et al. (2019), which revealed that poor human relation strategies from principals led to low teacher performance in Kwara State. Similarly, Abay (2021) also reported that job performance among teachers in Edo State was low. In the same way, Larrye, Ogbaga, and Ibenwo (2022) found that teachers in Ebonyi State performed poorly, especially when motivation was lacking. However, these results are not the same as those from Akpan (2018), who found that university lecturers in Cross River State showed high job performance. It also contrasts with the work of King’oina, Kadenyi, and Ngaruiya (2015) in Kenya, who found that teachers' lesson planning was linked to high student performance, and with Boniface, Omenyi, and Nwankwo (2020), who reported that teachers in Anambra State showed strong classroom performance and a positive attitude to work. 10 The study also found that there is a clear connection between teachers’ workload and how well they perform in the classroom in Esan West LGA. One possible reason for this could be the small number of teachers available, which leads to a heavy workload for those in service. Teachers may also lack support from school leaders, which adds to the pressure. These findings support those of Bui et al. (2021), who found that stress in the workplace reduces how well people work and how satisfied they feel at their jobs. It also agrees with the findings of Baliyan, Pritika, and Mokoena (2018), who found that too much work and unclear school rules caused stress for teachers in Botswana, leading to unhappiness and low motivation. Similarly, Suguna et al. (2021) showed that job stress negatively affected how people perform at work, while Abosede, Akinbiyi, and Babalola (2023) found that when teachers are overloaded with work, their students tend to perform poorly. Studies by Okodeso (2023) and Tarimo et al. (2020) also found that high teacher workload leads to bad teaching results and lower student achievement. In addition, this study revealed a strong relationship between pressure from school administrators and how well teachers perform in the classroom in Esan West LGA. This may be because of weak supervision by principals, poor leadership, and not involving teachers in planning and decision-making. Tasks such as monitoring students during morning assembly, keeping attendance, and organizing school activities require proper planning and guidance. If school leaders don’t provide this support, teachers may become overwhelmed and this can lower their teaching performance. These findings support the study by Mutua (2022), which showed that principals' leadership, supervision, and motivation influenced teachers' job performance in Kenya. They also agree with the study by Carmellta (2024), who reported that factors like school support services, teachers' experience, gender, and education level affected their performance in Misamis Oriental. Similarly, Adesegue and Adewuyi (2024) found that school heads' leadership and professionalism improved teacher performance, while Bappah and Shehu (2022) discovered that when administrators assign tasks properly, it boosts teachers' performance in Gombe State. Conclusion Occupational stress plays a crucial role in the teaching and learning process within the school system. In this study, the classroom performance of teachers in public secondary schools in Esan West L.G.A. of Edo State was found to be low. Furthermore, the study revealed a significant relationship between teachers' workload, administrative pressure, and their classroom performance. Recommendations Recommendations were made base on the above findings: a. The government should provide regular training and professional development opportunities to help teachers in public secondary schools in Esan West L.G.A of Edo State enhance their teaching abilities and classroom effectiveness. b. To improve teachers’ classroom performance, the government should ease workload challenges by hiring additional teachers and fairly distributing responsibilities among staff in public secondary schools in Esan West L.G.A. 11 c. School principals should lessen administrative burdens on teachers by establishing a supportive management system that enables them to dedicate more time and attention to classroom teaching in the study area. d. Although, this study contributed to knowledge on the relationship between occupational stress and classroom performance of teachers in public secondary schools in Esan West L.G. A of Edo State. However, in other to make generalizations across Local Government Area in the State, other local government area and senatorial districts should be included by prospective researchers in subsequent studies. 12 REFERENCES Abay, O. (2021). Teachers’ level of job effectiveness in secondary schools in Edo State. Journal of Educational Practice, 15(3), 120–135. Abosede, R., Akinbiyi, A., & Babalola, T. (2023). Teachers’ workload and students’ academic performance in Irepodun Local Government, Nigeria. Journal of Educational Research and Development, 15(2), 49–61. Adesegue, A., & Adewuyi, T. 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