Job precarity impacts the mental health of contractual teachers in Morocco: between fatigue and psychological distress

• Published in: The Pan African medical journal 2024, Vol.48, p.158
• Main Authors: Bouizzal, Fatima, Guider, Hicham, El Mourabit, Merouane, El Madhi, Youssef, Ouahidi, Moulay Laarbi
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Adult; Cross-Sectional Studies; Fatigue - epidemiology; Female; Humans; Male; Mental Health; Middle Aged; Morocco; Occupational Stress - epidemiology; Psychological Distress; School Teachers - psychology; Stress, Psychological - epidemiology; Surveys and Questionnaires; Young Adult
• ISSN: 1937-8688; 1937-8688
• DOI: 10.11604/pamj.2024.48.158.43552

since the Ministry of National Education introduced contractual recruitment in 2016, Morocco has faced significant challenges related to the well-being of its contractual teachers. This study investigates the impact of job precarity on the mental health of these teachers, specifically focusing on fatigue and psychological distress. we collected responses from 245 contractual teachers across Morocco's 12 regions, utilizing the Individual Strength Checklist (CIS) to assess fatigue and the General Health Questionnaire (GHQ) for psychological distress. Our findings reveal that teachers' average scores on the CIS (51.7 ± 19.7) and GHQ (12.3 ± 4.6) were notably high, indicating significant job-related stress and emotional suffering. our study indicates that teachers had very high average scores on the CIS (51.7 ± 19.7) and GHQ (12.3 ± 4.6), suggesting that they experienced considerable job-related stress and emotional distress. Our research revealed that 31% of teachers reported experiencing weariness, while 26% reported experiencing psychological distress. Additionally, out of the individuals who reported experiencing chronic exhaustion, 39% specifically experienced fatigue alone, while 61% experienced both fatigue and psychological discomfort. This suggests a significant association between these two conditions. the research emphasizes that Moroccan contractual teachers have a shared experience of exhaustion and mental anguish, which is worsened by the uncertainty of their job. Specific interventions are required to address and alleviate these unique effects on teachers' well-being, thereby enhancing the entire educational atmosphere.