[version 1; peer review: awaiting peer review]
No competing interests were disclosed.
The work motivation of teachers in general—and primary school teachers in particular—exerts a significant influence on the quality and effectiveness of their professional performance. In practice, current approaches to developing the primary education workforce have primarily emphasized strategic workforce planning, recruitment, personnel deployment, and professional training. However, there remains a noticeable lack of effective motivational instruments aimed at fostering motivation for sustainable development within the teaching profession. This paper discusses several theoretical issues concerning work motivation among primary school teachers. It draws upon an analysis of the current situation in 22 primary schools in Cantho City, Vietnam, serving as the foundation for proposing motivational strategies designed to enhance teacher development in the district. These proposed strategies may be creatively adapted and implemented in alignment with the specific socio-organizational contexts of other localities and educational institutions, thereby contributing to the broader professional development of teaching staff across various educational levels.
Fostering work motivation among primary school teachers constitutes one of the key supportive strategies that directly influence various aspects of educational management. It is a critical factor in stimulating professional passion, emotional commitment, and intrinsic enthusiasm in teaching. Effective motivational mechanisms not only enhance subject-specific instructional quality but also contribute significantly to the overall development and institutional performance of the school. In reality, efforts to enhance the quality of primary school teachers have primarily centered on providing professional training and skill enhancement. However, there remain limited effective measures for building a supportive environment and fostering motivation for teacher development. Ninh Kieu District, located in Cantho City, has 22 primary schools. Over the past years, educational authorities have implemented various solutions to develop the teaching workforce in general, including primary school teachers, such as workforce planning, training organization, and professional development. Despite these efforts, the implementation of localized motivation-enhancing policies and the creation of a supportive school culture tailored to the district’s unique socio-educational context have been limited, poorly articulated, and largely ineffective.
This study investigates theoretical foundations related to creating a supportive organizational environment and fostering work motivation for the development of primary school teachers. Building upon this theoretical framework, it evaluates the current state of such initiatives across primary schools in Cantho City, and proposes several solutions to enhance the quality of the environment and motivation strategies for the primary school teacher development in Ninh Kieu District, Cantho City.
Research on teacher motivation in Asia and Sub-Saharan Africa highlights, “salary-related motivation appears to play a dominant role for teachers in low-income countries, where salaries and other material benefits fail to meet the basic survival needs of individuals and their families. Only when these fundamental needs are met can higher-level needs be addressed—namely, the need for genuine job satisfaction.”
Herzberg’s Two-Factor Theory
Teacher job satisfaction is commonly categorized into two main types: extrinsic satisfaction and intrinsic satisfaction. Extrinsic satisfaction refers to tangible aspects provided by the institution, such as salary, collegial relationships, retirement schemes, health insurance benefits, and organizational care. In contrast, intrinsic satisfaction arises from internal factors, including the complexity of tasks, scope of responsibility, opportunities to apply professional skills, the ability to help others, and the personal enjoyment derived from engaging with challenging yet meaningful work. Both dimensions play a vital role in enhancing teacher motivation and instructional effectiveness.
According to Alam and Farid,
Teacher motivation is not solely rooted in individual traits; rather, it is significantly shaped by the surrounding work environment. According to Bukhari et al.,
The study conducted by Haidari et al.
In the study “Why Employees Lose Their Motivation,” published in Working Knowledge for Business Leaders, the authors concluded that employees highly value being recognized for a job well done and genuinely appreciated for their contributions. Meaningful praise was found to have a powerful motivational effect.
Work motivation shaped by the working environment has been widely acknowledged by scholars, with multiple studies confirming that work-related pressures embedded within the organizational context significantly influence employee motivation.
In summary, existing research consistently emphasizes the critical role of motivation in the professional development of teaching staff.
This study employs a combination of research methods as follows:
Theoretical synthesis method: This involves the analysis, synthesis, and systematization of theoretical perspectives related to the construction of a supportive working environment and the enhancement of work motivation for the professional development of primary school teachers. Questionnaire survey method: A structured questionnaire was administered to examine the current practices in building working environments and promoting teacher motivation in primary schools in Ninh Kieu District, Cantho City. Documentary review method: This method involves reviewing official documents, including Party directives, State legal frameworks, policy guidelines from the Ministry of Education and Training, and the 2023–2024 academic year summary reports on primary education implementation in Ninh Kieu District. Interview method: Both direct and indirect interviews were conducted, with indirect interviews implemented via structured interview forms.
A primary school teacher is a professional title under the category of teaching professionals, as defined in Article 2 of Circular No. 02/2021/TT-BGDĐT,
According to the Dictionary of Education,
The primary school teaching workforce refers to a group of primary school teachers organized as a collective force to fulfill the objectives of primary education. This workforce possesses distinct characteristics: primary school teachers are considered multi-functional educators, as they are responsible for teaching multiple subjects, assuming homeroom responsibilities, and serving as foundational figures in shaping pupils’ personalities and values.
Within the scope of this article, the primary school teaching workforce is considered from two perspectives:
The collective of teachers within a single primary school; The broader collective of primary school teachers in Ninh Kieu District, Cantho City.
Occupational motivation is defined as an individual’s aspiration and willingness to exert effort voluntarily toward achieving specific goals or outcomes.
Where: P: Performance A: Ability R: Resources M: Motivation. This formula illustrates the importance of motivation in individual performance within an organization and, consequently, its impact on the overall organizational performance.
Teachers are no exception. This was confirmed in a study by Brumback,
In management and organizational settings, work motivation is frequently referred to as a key factor that enhances employee effectiveness. According to Nguyen,
When discussing employee motivation within organizations, managers often agree on several key points: Motivation is inherently tied to one’s job, the organization, and the working environment. There is no such thing as abstract or generalized motivation that is detached from specific work tasks. From a psychological perspective, motivation is closely associated with individual needs and manifests as dedication and commitment to one’s professional responsibilities—in the case of teachers, this is reflected in their wholehearted engagement with their work.
Based on the above definitions, motivating the development of the primary school teaching workforce can be understood as the process by which educational management authorities—within their respective administrative levels—build a supportive environment aligned with job requirements and the development goals of the school. In addition, it involves the formulation and implementation of policies, strategies, and managerial interventions that directly impact individual teachers, thereby encouraging each educator to maintain a proper mindset and attitude toward personal growth and organizational development.
Motivation through the construction of a supportive environment
As discussed in the literature review, Herzberg’s Two-Factor Theory offers a detailed analysis of how environmental factors affect employee motivation. Within a school organization, the working environment encompasses both physical conditions and psychological climate. Developing a motivating environment through building a consensual and collaborative teaching staff is a critical and decisive factor. “In a narrow sense, staff consensus refers to cultivating solidarity among teachers within the pedagogical team; more broadly—and more profoundly—it means transforming the teaching workforce into a learning organization within the school”.
Thus, building an environment conducive to the development of the primary school teaching workforce involves the following:
Establishing a school culture and a culture of quality: This includes fostering a friendly learning environment and active student participation; promoting teachers’ ethics, self-directed learning, and creativity; cultivating a shared institutional culture; encouraging societal engagement in education; stimulating healthy professional competition; and creating opportunities for both individual and institutional growth. This environment becomes a foundation where all members are inspired to strive, learn, and improve together. Organizing a positive, friendly, and effective school environment: A positive working environment is reflected in a vibrant teaching and learning atmosphere, characterized by scientific rigor, a spirit of healthy competition for progress, and alignment with the school’s overarching goals—such as its vision, mission, development strategy, and educational philosophy. Each member of the school community should feel genuinely happy and balanced within a pedagogical environment characterized by harmonious relationships— whether among colleagues, between teachers and pupils, or between the school and external stakeholders. These factors foster a sense of responsibility and engagement among staff, encouraging active participation in the school’s operations, strategic goals, and institutional mission. As a result, members experience fairness, mutual respect, and a stronger awareness of their individual value and contributions to the collective success of the school. Establishing a culture of school management: This refers to a management trend grounded in democratic principles, order, and discipline within the school, enabling teachers to clearly understand their goals, orientations, and the nature of their work. A positive and appropriate school culture fosters harmonious relationships among administrators, teachers, and staff within the pedagogical community, as well as between teachers and pupils. At the same time, it helps to create a working environment that is comfortable, joyful, and healthy. This cultural foundation serves as a psychological catalyst for creativity—an essential component in educational practice, where the central subjects are knowledge and human development. Establishing external linkages beyond the school such as forming school clusters within a district, town, or city; creating professional clubs; and organizing inter-regional exchange programs to facilitate the sharing of best practices. These initiatives aim to broaden the developmental environment for primary school teachers Building the tripartite relationship among family – school – and society in order to enhance the quality of primary education and foster the professional development of primary school teachers.
Motivating the development of the teaching workforce through management policies Fully implementing national policies and formulating localized policies that address the diverse needs of different groups of teachers, such as those teaching in disadvantaged areas or those recognized as outstanding teachers. Enhancing motivation through a performance-based evaluation system, whereby effort leads to measurable achievements, and those achievements result in outcomes or rewards aligned with teacher expectations. This approach requires educational managers to clearly understand the direct relationship between effort and performance, between performance and outcomes, and to ensure that the resulting rewards are meaningful and desirable to teachers. Strengthening motivation through policies that promote teacher training, professional development, and opportunities for career advancement.
The policy-related aspects of teacher motivation discussed in this paper are examined and evaluated based on the actual conditions in primary schools within Ninh Kieu District, Cantho City.
Ninh Kieu District, located in Cantho City, currently has 22 primary schools, with a total of 836 primary school teachers. Among them, 92.8% (776 out of 836) meet the national qualification standards, while 1.6% (13 out of 836) possess qualifications exceeding the standard.
Survey participants: to examine the current situation regarding motivation in the development of the primary school teaching workforce, the study conducted a survey involving three groups: 270 primary school teachers, 45 school administrators, and 8 officials and specialists from the District Departments of Education and Training (DoET). Survey content: (1) The current status of motivation through the construction of a developmental working environment for primary school teachers;
The current status of motivation through policy implementation aimed at developing the teaching workforce.
Survey results:
To assess the current status of motivation through the construction of a developmental environment for primary school teachers, the study conducted a survey based on six key aspects. The results are presented in
| No. | Content | Primary school teachers | Administrators | District DoET officials. | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Means | St dev | Means | St dev | Means | St dev | ||
| 1. | Developing a school culture and a culture of educational quality | 4.08 | 1.07 | 4.46 | 0.74 | 3.88 | 0.90 |
| 2 | Organizing a positive, friendly, and effective school environment | 4.20 | 0.97 | 4.48 | 0.74 | 3.97 | 0.87 |
| 3 | Establishing a culture of school management | 4.16 | 0.94 | 4.42 | 0.74 | 3.96 | 0.86 |
| 4. | Creating external linkages beyond the school environment | 3.79 | 1.07 | 3.98 | 0.91 | 3.63 | 0.94 |
| 5 | Building a tripartite relationship among family, school, and society | 3.54 | 1.10 | 3.70 | 1.07 | 3.59 | 0.96 |
| 6 | Improving physical facilities, teaching equipment, and ICT infrastructure | 3.53 | 1.02 | 3.79 | 0.98 | 3.64 | 0.75 |
The survey results indicate a noticeable difference in evaluation perspectives among the three respondent groups regarding this area. The DoET officials rated the effectiveness of these initiatives lower than school administrators and teachers. Among the groups, school administrators provided the most favorable evaluations of environmental construction activities. Overall, the responses were rated at average to fairly high levels, with a few items approaching the “good” threshold (
Interview questions and findings: (1) Could you share the main challenges in building a professional development environment for teachers? Although respondents expressed diverse opinions when answering this question, a common theme emerged: external environmental factors were consistently identified as major obstacles. Specifically, participants pointed to the following limitations: difficulties in establishing strong partnerships with parents and the community; inadequate development of physical facilities, teaching equipment, and information technology infrastructure; and insufficient inter-school collaboration through school clusters.
These interview findings are logically consistent with the survey results. This implies that while primary schools have been relatively effective in developing internal school environments, significant challenges remain in building external environments that support teacher development. Field research conducted at the participating primary schools revealed that these challenges stem largely from a combination of factors: a high degree of dependence on parental engagement, the economic and social development conditions of Ninh Kieu District, and the lack of strong coordination among primary schools within the district.
The author assessed this issue through several specific aspects, with the corresponding survey results presented in
| No. | Content | Teachers | Administrators | District DoET officials. | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Means | St dev | Means | St dev | Means | St dev | ||
| 1 | Implementing general State regulations on policies and benefits for the primary school teaching workforce | 3.81 | 1.08 | 4.19 | 0.85 | 4.19 | 0.85 |
| 2 | Issuing and applying local policies for specific teacher groups (e.g., outstanding teachers, teachers in difficult circumstances) | 3.95 | 0.95 | 3.88 | 0.90 | 3.53 | 1.02 |
| 3 | Creating opportunities for teachers to pursue further study, training, and professional development, including exchanges and collaboration | 3.86 | 1.02 | 4.08 | 0.91 | 3.54 | 1.10 |
| 4 | Ensuring fair and consistent enforcement of State policies on rewards, discipline, incentives, and teacher recognition | 4.02 | 1.02 | 3.97 | 0.87 | 4.29 | 0.81 |
The results show a divergence in evaluations among the surveyed groups. Specifically, school administrators and DoET officials rated the effectiveness of these policy-related activities more positively than teachers. Based on the analysis of reports from DoET and the survey data collected from all respondent groups, the following observations can be made:
The implementation of national policies for the primary school teaching workforce has been carried out comprehensively and in accordance with official regulations (Item 1:
Thus, the existing limitations and shortcomings in organizing management activities to motivate the development of the primary school teaching workforce represent not only challenges but also opportunities. These issues call for education authorities at all levels to adopt appropriate solutions that simultaneously build upon existing strengths and address persistent weaknesses in current practices.
To effectively implement this solution, educational management authorities should focus on the following key actions:
Building a cohesive, proactive, and friendly pedagogical community: This includes rational task allocation, creating favorable working conditions, respecting and encouraging teachers to take initiative and demonstrate creativity in their work. Accurately assessing and leveraging individual strengths, while providing professional growth opportunities for every teacher, are critical elements that enhance teachers’ engagement and satisfaction. Attention should also be given to teachers’ material and emotional well-being; ensuring the effective implementation of democratic governance within the school; and promoting the role of mass organizations and teacher associations in building trust and motivation within the teaching staff. Building a friendly and supportive educational environment: This involves cultivating a psychologically healthy school climate; fostering cooperative, trusting, respectful, and united working relationships among administrators, teachers, and staff; promoting friendly, compassionate, and fair teacher–pupil interactions that consider the individual needs of each pupil; encouraging friendly and collaborative peer relationships among pupils; and establishing strong connections between families, schools, and the local community. Establishing a school management culture and transforming the school into a learning organization: School administrators must possess the necessary ethical qualities and professional competencies of effective educational leaders. They should strategically plan action programs that attract and engage teachers, and organize various initiatives and movements to promote a culture of continuous learning and pedagogical creativity. Horizontal relationships within the school should be strengthened to ensure collaboration and cooperation among individuals and departments in fulfilling schools’ goals. Additionally, it is essential to develop internal forums for information exchange—particularly concerning professional knowledge and teaching practices that support teachers’ professional growth. Primary school principals should also cultivate a “culture of supervision” and uphold democratic governance in school operations. District DoET should establish a school cluster management system based on the following principles: The principle of supporting teacher training and professional development goals; The principle of fostering cooperation and collaboration among schools. Creating supportive conditions for the development of the primary school teaching workforce: These conditions encompass both instructional facilities and teachers’ basic living conditions. Specific measures include the expansion of physical infrastructure, enhancement of teaching equipment, and the construction of subject-specific classrooms.
Fully implement existing State and sectoral policies for primary school teachers: This involves concretizing national policy frameworks, ensuring that all benefits and entitlements are delivered to teachers in a fair, sufficient, and reasonable manner. Emphasis should be placed on the motivational and incentive aspects of policy, with the goal of improving work performance and promoting better teaching and learning outcomes. Develop and refine localized policy mechanisms for teacher development tailored to the specific needs of different subgroups within the teaching workforce. These include: Policies for outstanding teachers at various levels; Appointing high-performing teachers to management positions—not merely to enhance administrative capacity, but also as a form of recognition and reward for pedagogical excellence; Mobilizing permissible financial resources to support outstanding teachers in accessing advanced training and professional development opportunities. Implement a fair, democratic, and timely reward and recognition system for primary school teachers: Actively commend exemplary individuals, honor educational role models, and systematically document and disseminate best practices across the sector to encourage replication and scaling.
The primary school teaching workforce constitutes a fundamental component of the educational process and serves as a prerequisite for ensuring the effectiveness and quality of primary education, which in turn contributes to the broader goals of the education and training system. Therefore, in both short-term and long-term planning, teacher-related policies are often placed at the center of educational policy and strategic development. While traditional concerns such as teacher quality and workforce size are frequently addressed, teacher motivation must also receive special attention. However, for motivational policies to be effectively translated into practice, policy makers must adopt a comprehensive approach that carefully considers all aspects of policy formulation and implementation.
The studies on motivation for both individual and organizational development discussed in this paper serve as a theoretical foundation for educational management authorities to apply creatively and contextually—tailoring approaches to specific groups of teachers and teaching staff at different educational levels and within various localities and school contexts. Within the scope of this paper, the author applied motivational theories to assess the current situation at primary schools in Ninh Kieu District, providing a basis for proposing solutions aimed at improving the quality and effectiveness of teacher motivation strategies. The core components examined in the survey reflect the expression of school culture and quality culture, which together constitute the professional environment in which teachers strive to learn, grow, and improve. Therefore, the proposed solutions for motivating the development of the primary school teaching workforce in Ninh Kieu District are well-aligned with the actual conditions of local schools and hold potential for creative adaptation in other primary schools across Cantho City.
The research findings indicate that the organization of a positive, friendly, and effective school environment was highly rated by all respondent groups. This aligns with the studies by Alam and Farid,
This study involved adult participants only, including primary school teachers, school administrators, and education officials in Ninh Kieu District, Can Tho City, Vietnam.
Data were collected through online questionnaires, semi-structured interviews, and focus group discussions. Participation was entirely voluntary, and all participants were informed about the purpose of the study, research procedures, and the intended academic use of the data before participation.
Informed consent was obtained from all participants prior to their involvement in the study. Participants were informed that they could withdraw from the study at any time without consequence.
No personally identifiable information was collected, and all responses were anonymized to protect participant confidentiality.
As this study involved non-sensitive educational research with adult participants and did not involve medical interventions or vulnerable populations, no formal institutional ethics review process was required under the applicable institutional context.
The raw dataset is not publicly available because the original survey data included direct identifiers (e.g., participant names, student identification numbers, and dates of birth) collected for response verification purposes, as well as open-ended responses that may contain indirect identifiers.
Participant names were removed prior to analysis, and the dataset used in this study was anonymized. However, the authors determined that public release of the full dataset may still present a risk of participant re-identification.
A de-identified version of the analytical dataset may be made available for academic research purposes upon reasonable request to the corresponding authors, Phuong Tam Pham (