Perceived Influence of Principals' Intrinsic and Extrinsic Motivational Strategies on Teachers' Job Performance in Public Secondary Schools in Enugu Education Zone.

Elendu Chinaza Nancy*; Kenechukwu Amarachukwu Treasure; Agbo Juliet Chinwendu

Department of Educational Foundations, Faculty of Education,

National Open University of Nigeria (NOUN).

INTRODUCTION

Ask most school administrators what motivates a teacher and the conversation usually drifts quickly to money salary, allowances, bonuses. Yet a large body of leadership research suggests the picture is more complicated: teachers, like most professionals, respond to being trusted, recognised, and included, sometimes as strongly as they respond to material reward (Bush & Glover, 2021). The tension between these two categories of motivation intrinsic and extrinsic is not merely academic in Nigeria's public school system, where chronic underfunding often forces principals to lead with the tools they have rather than the tools they would prefer. Understanding which of the two categories does more to move teachers’ performance, and by how much, has real implications for how school leaders should spend their limited time and even more limited budgets.

Principals' motivational strategies are broadly conceptualized in literature into intrinsic and extrinsic categories. Intrinsic strategies are psychological and professional in nature, focusing on recognition of good work, granting professional autonomy, involving teachers in decision-making, providing opportunities for growth and appealing to teachers' sense of competence and belonging (Okafor & Nwosu, 2023). According to Ugwu and Chukwu (2024), intrinsic motivation thrives where principals adopt transformational leadership behaviours such as individualized consideration and intellectual stimulation. These strategies are considered more sustainable because they address higher-order needs and foster internal commitment to teaching rather than compliance.

Extrinsic strategies, on the other hand, operate through material and structural channels such as regular payment of salaries and allowances, prompt promotion, provision of instructional materials, improvement of physical working conditions and welfare packages (Adeyemi & Bolarinwa, 2022). Nwankwo et al. (2023) observed that in Nigerian public secondary schools, extrinsic factors remain a major source of concern due to delayed promotions, poor infrastructure and inadequate teaching resources. Extrinsic strategies are therefore crucial for preventing dissatisfaction and creating a baseline condition for teachers to function. However, scholars argue that their effect may be short-lived if not complemented by intrinsic factors.

The distinction between the two categories does not imply superiority of one over the other in all contexts. Lane and Smith (2021) argued that the effectiveness of motivational strategies depends largely on consistency, fairness in application and alignment with teachers' actual needs at a given time. In similar vein, Ibrahim et al. (2021) noted that teacher job performance, which encompasses lesson preparation, classroom management, student assessment, record keeping and participation in co-curricular activities, is influenced by an interaction of personal competence, school climate and leadership behaviour. This implies that isolating the contribution of intrinsic versus extrinsic strategies requires a comparative design as adopted in this study.

Empirical findings on which strategy predicts performance more strongly are mixed but leaning towards intrinsic. For instance, Okafor and Nwosu (2023) found that recognition and professional autonomy significantly correlated with teachers' commitment in Anambra State, while Adeyemi and Bolarinwa (2022) reported that extrinsic factors such as salary and promotion were more strongly associated with job satisfaction than performance in Oyo State. Ukaigwe and Nwankwo (2024) in Rivers State found that both intrinsic and extrinsic strategies jointly predicted teachers' performance, but intrinsic strategies had a higher beta weight. These mixed results underscore the importance of contextual factors in determining which motivational strategy works best.

Furthermore, challenges militating against effective motivation have been widely documented. Igwe and Obi (2024) identified inadequate funding, poor policy implementation, large class sizes, favouritism in reward allocation and lack of regular training as major obstacles. Eze et al. (2023) also noted that principals often lack autonomy to provide extrinsic rewards as these are controlled by government bureaucracy, forcing them to rely more on intrinsic strategies which are within their control. Understanding these obstacles is therefore essential for interpreting the balance between intrinsic and extrinsic strategies in Enugu Education Zone.

This study is anchored on two complementary theories: Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs and Herzberg's Two-Factor Theory. Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs (1943) proposes five levels of human needs arranged hierarchically from physiological needs, safety needs, belongingness, esteem needs to self-actualization. The theory is useful for this study because it separates needs by type: lower-order needs such as physiological and safety needs are met largely through extrinsic means such as salary, job security and welfare support, while higher-order needs such as belongingness, esteem and self-actualization are met largely through intrinsic means such as inclusion, recognition and professional growth (Maslow, 1943; Okeke & Nwosu, 2023). The theory predicts that until lower extrinsic needs are reasonably satisfied, higher intrinsic strategies may struggle to fully take hold. This provides a useful lens for interpreting the Nigerian public secondary school context where extrinsic provision is often thin and irregular.

Herzberg's Two-Factor Theory (1959) further sharpens the comparison by distinguishing between hygiene factors and motivators. According to Herzberg, hygiene factors which are largely extrinsic such as salary, working conditions and supervision mainly prevent dissatisfaction but do not actively drive performance, while motivators which are largely intrinsic such as achievement, recognition and responsibility actually push performance upward (Herzberg et al., 1959). If Herzberg's proposition holds, one would expect intrinsic strategies to show a stronger positive relationship with teachers' job performance than extrinsic strategies, even in contexts where extrinsic provision is weak. Recent studies by Nwankwo et al. (2023) and Ugwu and Chukwu (2024) found support for Herzberg's theory in Nigerian secondary schools. Taken together, the two theories frame the comparative question this study answers empirically. Maslow explains why extrinsic factors must be reasonably met before intrinsic factors can have optimal effect, while Herzberg explains why intrinsic factors are more potent in sustaining performance once dissatisfaction is minimized. Therefore, the theories provide a dual lens to examine whether principals in Enugu Education Zone rely more on intrinsic or extrinsic strategies and which has stronger perceived influence on teachers' job performance.

Public secondary schools in Enugu State provide a useful setting to examine this question. Reports from the Enugu State Ministry of Education (2023) point to fluctuating performance indices among teachers absenteeism, inconsistent lesson delivery, and disengagement from co-curricular life alongside anecdotal evidence that some principals sustain reasonably high morale through recognition and inclusion even where salaries are late and resources are thin. What has been missing is a direct, side-by-side comparison: does the intrinsic route actually outperform the extrinsic route in this setting, or do the two operate as roughly equal partners? Most existing Nigerian studies treat principal leadership as a single undifferentiated variable, or study one category of motivation in isolation, leaving the comparative question largely unanswered (Uzochukwu & Ani, 2022). This study addressed that gap by directly comparing the extent to which principals in public secondary schools in Enugu East Local Government Area employ intrinsic and extrinsic motivational strategies, and by measuring how strongly each relates to teacher job performance.

Purpose of the Study

The main purpose of this study is to ascertain the perceived influence of principals' intrinsic and extrinsic motivational strategies on teachers' job performance in public secondary schools in Enugu Education Zone. Specifically, the study seeks to:

1.    Determine the extent to which principals utilize intrinsic motivational strategies in public secondary schools in Enugu Education Zone.

2.    Ascertain the extent to which principals utilize extrinsic motivational strategies in public secondary schools in Enugu Education Zone.

3.    Determine the motivational strategy type that principals predominantly rely on for enhancing teachers' job performance in public secondary schools.

4.    Examine the challenges militating against effective application of intrinsic and extrinsic motivational strategies by principals in public secondary schools in Enugu Education Zone.

Research Questions

The following research questions guided the study:

1.    To what extent do principals utilize intrinsic motivational strategies in public secondary schools in Enugu Education Zone?

2.    To what extent do principals utilize extrinsic motivational strategies in public secondary schools in Enugu Education Zone?

3.    Which type of motivational strategy do principals predominantly rely on for enhancing teachers' job performance in public secondary schools in Enugu Education Zone?

4.    What are the challenges militating against effective application of intrinsic and extrinsic motivational strategies by principals in public secondary schools in Enugu Education Zone?

Hypotheses

The following null hypotheses were tested at 0.05 level of significance:

H0₁: There is no significant relationship between principals' use of intrinsic motivational strategies and teachers' job performance in public secondary schools in Enugu Education Zone.

H0₂: There is no significant relationship between principals' use of extrinsic motivational strategies and teachers' job performance in public secondary schools in Enugu Education Zone.

H0₃:  There is no significant difference in the mean ratings of male and female teachers on the perceived influence of principals' intrinsic and extrinsic motivational strategies on teachers' job performance in public secondary schools in Enugu Education Zone.

H0₄:  There is no significant difference between the mean ratings of principals and teachers on the challenges militating against effective application of intrinsic and extrinsic motivational strategies in public secondary schools in Enugu Education Zone.

METHODOLOGY

The study adopted a descriptive survey research design which was considered suitable for comparing two naturally occurring variables - intrinsic and extrinsic motivational strategies without manipulation (Nworgu, 2015). The study was carried out in Enugu East Local Government Area, a metropolitan LGA within Enugu State comprising communities such as Nike, Trans-Ekulu, Emene and Abakpa, chosen for its mix of urban and semi-urban school types and observed variation in principal leadership practices. The population comprised 11,873 teachers across 295 public secondary schools in Enugu State, while 10 schools in Enugu East LGA were purposively selected for balanced representation, with 19 teachers randomly drawn from each school and the ten principals included as informants, giving a total sample of 200 respondents comprising 190 teachers and 10 principals. The instrument was the Principals' Motivational Strategies and Teachers' Job Performance Questionnaire (PMS-TJPQ) divided into demographic data, Cluster A intrinsic strategies, Cluster B extrinsic strategies structured to allow direct scoring and comparison, and Cluster C job performance, all on a four-point Likert scale with criterion mean of 2.50. The instrument was validated by three experts from Educational Administration and Measurement and Evaluation, University of Nigeria, Nsukka, and trial-tested on 30 teachers outside the study area yielding Cronbach alpha of 0.85. Data were collected by researchers with two trained assistants who administered and retrieved questionnaires on the spot to ensure 100% return rate, and were analyzed using mean and standard deviation, Pearson Product Moment Correlation Coefficient and independent samples t-test at 0.05 level using SPSS version 25.

RESULTS

Research Question 1: To what extent do principals utilize intrinsic motivational strategies in public secondary schools in Enugu Education Zone?

Table 1: Mean Ratings and Standard Deviations on Extent of Principals' Use of Intrinsic Motivational Strategies (N = 200)

Table 1 shows that all seven items on intrinsic motivational strategies had mean scores ranging from 2.51 to 3.42, all above the criterion mean of 2.50 indicating high extent. Verbal recognition (Mean = 3.42) and trust in professional judgment (Mean = 3.21) were rated highest, while creation of opportunities for career advancement had the lowest mean of 2.51 but still within high extent. The cluster mean of 2.97 with standard deviation of 0.80 indicates that principals utilize intrinsic motivational strategies to a high extent in public secondary schools in Enugu Education Zone. This suggests that principals frequently use non-material motivators that are within their direct control.

Research Question 2: To what extent do principals utilize extrinsic motivational strategies in public secondary schools in Enugu Education Zone?

Table 2: Mean Ratings and Standard Deviations on Extent of Principals' Use of Extrinsic Motivational Strategies (N = 200)

Table 2 reveals that four out of seven extrinsic items were rated at low extent with means between 2.04 and 2.47 below criterion mean, while three items were at high extent. Monetary incentives (2.18) and welfare packages (2.04) were the least utilized extrinsic strategies, whereas emergency support (2.88) and recommendation for commendation (2.79) were rated high. The cluster mean of 2.47 with SD of 0.89 shows that overall extrinsic motivational strategies are utilized to a low extent. This implies that extrinsic motivation is constrained by factors beyond principals' immediate control such as funding and government policy.

Research Question 3: Which type of motivational strategy do principals predominantly rely on for enhancing teachers' job performance?

Table 3: Mean Ratings on Motivational Strategies Most Commonly Adopted by Principals (N = 200)

Table 3 shows the comparative pattern of strategy adoption. The two top-rated items are intrinsic: verbal recognition (3.38) and involvement in committees (3.01), while the only item disagreed was cash rewards/bonuses (2.09) which is extrinsic. The cluster mean of 2.75 indicates general agreement that principals adopt more intrinsic than extrinsic strategies. This confirms that the balance is tilted towards intrinsic strategies because they are more feasible and within principals' autonomy. The gap is therefore driven less by principal preference than by structural availability of resources.

Research Question 4: What are the challenges militating against effective application of intrinsic and extrinsic motivational strategies?

Table 4: Mean Ratings on Challenges Militating Against Effective Application of Motivational Strategies (N = 200)

Table 4 indicates that all nine challenge items were agreed to with means ranging from 2.84 to 3.74 above criterion mean. The four highest-rated challenges are all extrinsic in nature: inconsistent salary payment (3.74), inadequate funding (3.71), delay in release of funds (3.65) and lack of adequate infrastructure (3.62). The cluster mean of 3.49 with SD of 0.65 shows strong agreement on challenges. This provides clearest evidence that the intrinsic-extrinsic imbalance is not a matter of preference but of what principals are structurally able to supply in the Nigerian public school system.

Test of Null Hypotheses

HO₁: There is no significant relationship between principals' use of intrinsic motivational strategies and teachers' job performance.

Table 5: Pearson Correlation Between Intrinsic Motivational Strategies and Teachers' Job Performance

Table 5 shows Pearson correlation coefficient of 0.68 with p-value of 0.000 which is less than 0.05 level of significance. Therefore, the null hypothesis is rejected. This indicates a moderate to high positive significant relationship between principals' use of intrinsic motivational strategies and teachers' job performance. This implies that as intrinsic motivation increases, teachers' job performance significantly improves, supporting Herzberg's view that motivators drive performance.

HO2: There is no significant relationship between principals' use of extrinsic motivational strategies and teachers' job performance.

Table 6: Pearson Correlation Between Extrinsic Motivational Strategies and Teachers' Job Performance

Table 6 reveals Pearson r of 0.41 with p-value of 0.003 which is less than 0.05. Hence, the null hypothesis is rejected. There is a low to moderate positive significant relationship between extrinsic strategies and job performance. However, the correlation (0.41) is weaker than that of intrinsic strategies (0.68), confirming the theoretical prediction that intrinsic motivators have stronger influence on performance. This suggests that while extrinsic factors prevent dissatisfaction, they are less potent in enhancing performance.

HO₃: There is no significant difference in the mean ratings of male and female teachers on perceived influence of motivational strategies.

Table 7: t-test Analysis of Male and Female Teachers' Ratings on Influence of Motivational Strategies

Table 7 shows t-calculated value of 1.24 with p-value of 0.217 which is greater than 0.05. Therefore, the null hypothesis is retained. There is no significant difference between male and female teachers' ratings on perceived influence of motivational strategies. Both male and female teachers perceive intrinsic and extrinsic strategies similarly. This indicates that gender does not significantly influence how teachers respond to principals' motivational practices.

HO₄: There is no significant difference between principals and teachers on challenges militating against motivational strategies.

Table 8: t-test Analysis of Principals and Teachers on Challenges Militating Against Motivational Strategies

Table 8 reveals t-calculated of 1.02 with p-value of 0.309 greater than 0.05. Hence, the null hypothesis is retained. There is no significant difference between principals and teachers on challenges. Both groups agree that inadequate funding, inconsistent salary, delay in fund release and poor infrastructure are major constraints. This consensus shows that challenges are systemic and experienced by both leaders and teachers.

DISCUSSION OF FINDINGS

The finding that intrinsic motivational strategies are utilized to a high extent (cluster mean 2.97) with verbal recognition and trust as strongest, corroborates Okafor and Nwosu (2023) who found that recognition and professional autonomy significantly enhanced teacher commitment in Anambra State. Ugwu and Chukwu (2024) also reported that principals who adopt transformational leadership behaviours such as involvement in decision-making improve teachers' job performance. This supports Herzberg's Two-Factor Theory which posits that motivators such as recognition and responsibility drive performance. The high utilization of intrinsic strategies suggests that principals rely on what is within their control since they have autonomy to appreciate and delegate without financial implication.

The low extent of extrinsic strategies (cluster mean 2.47) with monetary incentives and welfare packages as weakest links aligns with Adeyemi and Bolarinwa (2022) who found that poor remuneration and lack of welfare packages were major demotivators in Oyo State public schools. Nwankwo et al. (2023) observed similar constraints in Rivers State, attributing low extrinsic motivation to government bureaucracy and inadequate funding. Maslow's hierarchy explains this pattern: when lower-order needs such as salary and safety are not reasonably met, teachers' responsiveness to motivation diminishes. The finding that emergency support was rated relatively high shows that principals improvise within limited resources to provide extrinsic support.

The finding that principals predominantly rely on intrinsic strategies, with verbal recognition (3.38) topping while cash rewards (2.09) were disagreed, confirms the comparative prediction of Herzberg that motivators are more readily used and more potent than hygiene factors. Ukaigwe and Nwankwo (2024) found intrinsic strategies had higher beta weight in predicting performance than extrinsic. Lane and Smith (2021) argued that effectiveness depends on consistency and fairness, which intrinsic strategies afford more easily. This imbalance is therefore not preference but structural, as principals lack financial autonomy to provide extrinsic rewards which are centrally controlled by government.

The challenges identified - inconsistent salary (3.74), inadequate funding (3.71), delayed fund release (3.65) and poor infrastructure (3.62) - being all extrinsic in nature, provide empirical support for Igwe and Obi (2024) who identified inadequate funding and poor policy implementation as major obstacles to teacher motivation in South-East Nigeria. Eze et al. (2023) also noted that principals' lack of autonomy to provide extrinsic rewards forces reliance on intrinsic strategies. The rejection of HO₁ and HO₂ with r = 0.68 and r = 0.41 respectively shows intrinsic has stronger relationship with performance, consistent with Herzberg, while retaining HO₃ and HO₄ indicates consensus across gender and status that challenges are systemic. This calls for policy intervention beyond school-level leadership.

CONCLUSION

This study has shown that principals in public secondary schools in Enugu Education Zone utilize intrinsic motivational strategies to a high extent while extrinsic strategies are utilized to a low extent due to systemic constraints. The study established that both intrinsic and extrinsic strategies have significant positive relationship with teachers' job performance, but intrinsic strategies (r=0.68) have stronger relationship than extrinsic (r=0.41), confirming Herzberg's Two-Factor Theory. No significant difference exists between male and female teachers' perceptions and between principals and teachers on challenges, indicating that limited extrinsic motivation is a shared institutional condition driven by inadequate funding, inconsistent salary payment, delay in fund release, poor infrastructure and government policy restrictions. Therefore, improving teachers' job performance requires strengthening intrinsic motivators while simultaneously addressing extrinsic deficits through adequate funding and policy reforms.

Recommendations

1)    Principals should sustain and institutionalize high-utilization intrinsic strategies such as regular verbal recognition, trust in professional judgment, delegation of responsibilities and involvement of teachers in decision-making through formal committees and feedback mechanisms.

2)    Enugu State Government through the Ministry of Education should improve extrinsic conditions by ensuring prompt payment of salaries, allowances, timely release of funds and provision of adequate teaching materials and infrastructure to enable principals motivate teachers effectively.

3)    Government should grant greater financial autonomy to principals to allow initiation of school-based welfare packages and minor monetary incentives, reducing bureaucratic bottlenecks that currently restrict extrinsic motivation.

4)    Ministry of Education and Post Primary Schools Management Board should organize regular capacity building workshops for principals on transformational leadership and motivational strategies focusing on balancing intrinsic and extrinsic approaches.

5)    Educational planners should address structural challenges such as high teacher-student ratio, frequent teacher transfers and interference from Ministry/Board by developing clear policies that protect instructional time and principal autonomy in personnel management.

6)    School-based recognition programmes should be formalized, including Teacher of the Month awards, commendation letters and sponsorship to professional development seminars, to make intrinsic motivation systematic rather than occasional, while linking it with recommendation for promotion and special commendations which are extrinsic but within principal's recommendation power.

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