he teaching profession is one of the least respected professions in Nigeria today as it is the case in most developing countries of the world. Teachers from all ramifications are the builder of a nation hence they educate the youth that will later sustain the growth or the nation. This important role which the teachers play is not adequately compensated.

If not for recently when the federal government had introduced some fringe benefits or remunerations such as the new salary structure called "elongated salary", housing and transport, utility. rent and leave allowances for all workers in the country, teachers would have remained very poor. These remunerations are added incentives to motivate and encourage teachers to put in their best for a better attitude to work, which will lead to high productivity and efficiency.

Unfortunately, these remunerations arc not so regularly paid to teachers as their counterparts in other employments. This usually leads to incessant strikes in the school system.

According to Mbipom (2000:115), both staff and students have lost much time due to strikes for better conditions of service. Accordingly, as long as the hydra headed examination malpractice is around nobody seems to mind. The resultant effects arc found in the half-baked and ill-equipped products turned out from the school system annually.

But the questions are, who is to blame? The teacher who does not want to teach or perform his job as at when due? The students who are ready to study but are deprived? The parents who despite poor finances manage to put in their best by paying in their children school fees? Or, the government, who has introduced the remunerations but is yet to implement it regularly to the teachers?

Apparently, there are more to these questions than in the asking hence the essence of this paper is to represent in its logical perspective, the effect of remunerations on the attitude of teachers vis-a-vis the lingering crises in our educational system.

The current trend in our educational system is me poor attitude to work of teachers, as it is evident in the strikes and increasing rates of failures, in public examinations such as the Senior Secondary School Certificate Examinations (SSCE), the Polytechnics, Colleges of Education Entrance Examinations, and the University Matriculation Examinations (UME).

This undesirable trend of events has given educationists, policy makers, parents, guardians and even school administrators greater cause for concern. In an attempt to investigate the effect of this remuneration on teachers' attitude to work in schools most researchers have attributed the negative attitude of teachers to the poor implementation of basic incentives and lack of government: commitment to educational matters.

Of great importance as the above factors may seem to be, it is worthy to note that the most predominant factor affecting teachers productivity and their altitude to work today in our school is the inability of government to evolve an enduring remuneration and motivational strategy that will create a conducive atmosphere which will encourage teachers to be committed to work.

The objectives of the study is to: 1. Ascertain whether irregularity in the payment of teachers salaries affect their attitude to work. 2. Determine the extent to which payment of remunerations affects teachers attitude to work.

Year 2014

Volume XIV Issue IV Version I ( )

IV.

The economic view of man insists that persons are motivated by economic factors. They only put in their best either when they have received monetary gratification or when there is much at stake. School heads that hold this view probably see money as prime in soliciting the contribution of their subordinate. That is why the federal government of Nigeria has implemented some enhanced salary structure and other remunerations for workers.

Commenting on remuneration, Musaaizi (1987:202) held that teachers take annual leave during me school holiday and the entitlement varies depending on the salary scale of the teacher. Leave roasters arc usually prepared by the principal or school heads but unfortunately most grants are not paid by the state governments before the end of a articular year. Often, teachers threaten strikes or work to rule action before these remunerations and bonuses arc paid.

According to Musaaizi (1987), these allowances should be considerate to me status of the teachers' salary scale. On salaries, Adesina (1'980: 138) conducted studies in Lagos and Bendel States, on the demand and supply of teachers to identify some of their grievances. He came out with the following finding: 1. Teachers were underpaid compared with other sectors; 2. Teachers were paid late; 3. Teachers had poor conditions of service and that the society looks down on them and the teaching profession, Riich (1958), Mbipom (2000) both affirms Bernard-Simon theory of motivation which recognizes the relationship between the satisfaction by organizations of the needs of workers and their attitude to work. Therefore every attempt has to be made in finding out how best to encourage him or her to stay on the job.

Teachers ability to perform on the job depends on his willingness to do the job if he is adequately motivated through better' remuneration.

V.

The following hypotheses were posited for the study. 1. There is no significant relationship between payment of teachers salaries and their attitude to work. 2. There is no significant relationship between remuneration of teachers and their attitude to work.

VI.

The Expo-facto design and Random Sampling techniques were used for the study. The study samples consisted of one 'hundred and fifty (150) teachers randomly selected across the four educational zones in Cross River State. The teachers remuneration and attitude questionnaire (TRAQ) with twenty items were administered. They were validated by experts and field tested, It was found reliable across both time and content at 0.78 significance.

The responses from the questionnaire were collected. coded and analyzed to find the significance and relationship between the variables in the study. By applying the Chi-Square Statistic, the result were statistically significant at 0.0:5 level.

Hypothesis one stated that, there is no significant relationship between payments of salaries and teachers attitude to work. The objective was to establish a relationship between regularity of payment of teachers salaries as it affects their attitude to work.

These variables were compared, using the Chi-Square (Xl) test. The result is represented in table one below: Based on the above results, the null hypothesis was rejected as illustrated in the above table. The calculated Chi-Square (X2) is 3.8 and is greater than the calculated table value (0.13) at one degree of freedom. This showed that there is a marked difference among teachers in the irregularity of salaries payment and their attitude to work.

It appeared from these results that teachers tend to show positive attitude to work when they are paid regularly. Hence this confirms Mbipom (2000:113) assertion that the school should consider the conditions under which the teachers are working and make available salaries, equipments and facilities to enhance productivity.

Hypothesis two stated that, mere is no significant relationship between remuneration of teachers and their attitude to work.

Hypothesis one shows a significant difference between regularity of teachers' salaries and their attitude to work. It had been found out from the data analysis that irregular payment of salary affects teachers performance and most of them are longing for transfer to other sectors with regular payment of salary.

The above revelation confirms Okeke (1987) assertion that, paying salaries on time is one thing and their being enough to meet workers needs is quite another. The touchy variable which if neglected will undoubtedly detract the teacher very much from devotion to duty. The study also revealed that majority of teachers would have worked harder if their salaries were paid regularly. This is a clear indication that teachers are not happy with their present salary level. The findings again is supported by Okeke's (1987) view that, if duty is the main source of livelihood, the teacher expects his salary to be commensurated with me time and effort put into the job.

Most teachers now regard teaching as a secondary calling, private jobs arc religiously regarded as their major bread career.

Hypothesis two shows mar there is an insignificant difference in the effect remunerations has on teachers attitude. Regarding allowance, the study reveals that majority of the teachers do put in their best in the job even though leave grants and rent allowances arc not paid regularly. That is why Okeke (1987) among other scholars was assertive on his position that if regular payment of leave grants arc variable in the satisfaction of workers (teachers) needs, it means that it adds significantly to their devotion to work: IX.

The results of this study has far reaching implications to the sustenance of the educational system in Cross River State.

To me teacher, the reward for labour is his salaries and allowances which as basic motivational tools if well handled, will reinvigorate hard work among teachers.

The result will also help government to initiate policies that will enhance teachers welfare. It can take the form of granting them opportunities for further studies with little or no conditionalities.

The-teacher wants to see and know that the principal recognises his little contribution toward" the growth of the school with little or no reward of any kind. If his recognition and reward does not come, the teacher may become recalcitrant and may tend to sabotage the school's effort by forming destructive cliques.

The principal as a seasoned administrator ought to appreciate this problem and should be ready to give honour to whom honour is due.

The implication is that if the situation is not checked now there will be a mass exodus of teachers from the teaching service. Also if teachers do not do their work effectively and committedly, the product from these schools will be half-baked.

X.

The study revealed that the remunerations such as salaries and allowances are irregularly implemented. It also showed that teachers attitude to work transcend sex differentiation. The NPE (1998), having recognized education as an instrument per excellence for nation building. It behooves stakeholders in this sector to encourage teachers through regular and prompt payment of salaries and allowances. A worker should cam his wages as at when due. It is only when this is done that sanity and stability will be restored to our educational system.