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Teachers worldwide face significant workloads that impact their health and well-being, leading to stress and burnout. In response, the Philippines' Department of Education has initiated reforms to reduce administrative tasks, aiming to improve teachers' work-life balance and job satisfaction, particularly with the introduction of the MATATAG curriculum. However, there is a lack of research on how these changes affect junior high school teachers' motivation and overall well-being, highlighting the need for further investigation to support educators effectively.

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Gilliane Grace Garcia
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25 views3 pages

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Teachers worldwide face significant workloads that impact their health and well-being, leading to stress and burnout. In response, the Philippines' Department of Education has initiated reforms to reduce administrative tasks, aiming to improve teachers' work-life balance and job satisfaction, particularly with the introduction of the MATATAG curriculum. However, there is a lack of research on how these changes affect junior high school teachers' motivation and overall well-being, highlighting the need for further investigation to support educators effectively.

Uploaded by

Gilliane Grace Garcia
Copyright
© All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd

Around the world, research shows that teachers are often stretched thin, balancing not

only classroom responsibilities but also a growing pile of administrative tasks. This heavy

workload doesn’t just affect their schedules—it takes a real toll on their health, increases stress,

and impacts their overall well-being. Studies have found that high job demands and constant

pressure can lower teachers’ sense of balance and satisfaction, signaling a need for schools to

step in and provide better support. Even tasks outside the classroom, such as paperwork,

reporting, and compliance duties, can quietly wear teachers down over time, contributing to

burnout and stress. These findings emphasize that understanding teachers’ workloads goes

beyond counting hours; it involves protecting their health, well-being, and capacity to thrive both

professionally and personally. (Li, Chen, Lu, & Wang, 2025)

Wang & Shakibae (2025) discussed how in response to growing concerns about teachers’

workload, the Department of Education (DepEd) in the Philippines has implemented measures

aimed at easing teachers’ workload by redistributing or removing certain administrative tasks.

These reforms are intended to reduce non-teaching responsibilities and allow teachers to focus

more on instruction, with the goal of improving their work–life balance, job satisfaction, and

overall well-being. However, despite these policy efforts, there remains limited research

examining how the reduction of administrative duties actually influences teachers’ motivation,

work–life balance, and subjective well-being, particularly among junior high school teachers.

This research gap becomes even more significant with the recent introduction of the

MATATAG curriculum by DepEd, which underscores the need to understand how educational

reforms affect teachers’ daily work. Designed to strengthen students’ foundational skills, the

curriculum requires teachers to adapt to new teaching approaches, assessment methods, and

learning strategies. Junior high school teachers, especially those handling Grades 7 and 8, face
distinct challenges because early secondary education is a transitional stage, and adjusting to new

curriculum demands can be overwhelming. Their responsibilities extend beyond instruction to

include lesson planning, classroom management, differentiated instruction, and the modification

of learning materials to address diverse student needs.

Within this context, focusing on Grades 7 and 8 teachers is particularly important, as

motivation, work–life balance, and well-being are closely interconnected and directly influence

teaching effectiveness and long-term professional sustainability. Research indicates that

motivated teachers are more engaged and satisfied with their work, which positively supports

their mental and emotional health. Teachers’ subjective well-being—their personal sense of life

satisfaction and emotional stability—is also shaped by workload, administrative support, and job

satisfaction. Studies further suggest that manageable responsibilities and supportive leadership

are strongly linked to higher levels of well-being, highlighting the importance of a positive and

supportive school environment.

Given these considerations, investigating how the reduction or removal of administrative

tasks affects the motivation, work–life balance, and well-being of Grade 7 and 8 teachers is

essential. Such research contributes to the broader literature on teacher welfare while offering

practical insights for DepEd policymakers on how to better support educators implementing the

MATATAG curriculum. Ultimately, the findings can inform improvements in workload

management, professional development, and teaching quality, helping teachers remain motivated

and well-supported amid ongoing educational reforms. (Ertürk, 2021)

References
Ertürk, R. (2021). The Relationship between School Administrators’ Supportive Behaviors and Teachers’
Job Satisfaction and Subjective Well-Being. DergiPark.

Li, Y., Chen, J., Lu, J., & Wang, X. (2025). A Meta-Analysis of Teacher Well-Being: A Job Demands and
Resources Perspective. Science Direct.

Wang, W., & Shakibae, G. (2025). Exploring the Correlation Between Teacher Work Motivation and
Engagement in Online Classes: The Mediating Role of Job Satisfaction. Springer Nature Link.

Common questions

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Motivation directly influences the effectiveness and well-being of junior high school teachers by enhancing engagement, job satisfaction, and mental health, contributing to better teaching outcomes and professional longevity. Enhancing motivation amid curriculum reforms could involve reducing administrative duties, providing supportive leadership, and ensuring appropriate professional development opportunities aligned with the MATATAG curriculum's demands .

Significant research gaps exist in comprehensively understanding how policy measures such as reducing administrative workloads directly affect teachers' motivation and subjective well-being, particularly with the new MATATAG curriculum. There is limited research on the nuanced impacts of these policy implementations and their effectiveness in supporting Grades 7 and 8 teachers facing curriculum transitions .

The MATATAG curriculum presents challenges for junior high school teachers, particularly in adapting to new teaching methods, assessment techniques, and learning strategies. Grades 7 and 8 teachers experience unique pressures because early secondary education is a transitional stage, and they are responsible for lesson planning, classroom management, and tailoring learning materials to diverse student needs. This makes focusing on their well-being crucial as their motivation and satisfaction directly influence teaching effectiveness and professional sustainability .

High teacher workload adversely affects motivation and professional sustainability by contributing to stress, reducing job satisfaction, and causing burnout. This leads to decreased engagement and effectiveness in teaching roles, underscoring the need for workload management strategies that enhance teachers' motivation and support a sustainable professional environment .

Redistribution or removal of administrative duties could significantly enhance the work–life balance and well-being of junior high school teachers by allowing them more time to focus on instructional duties and self-care. This balance potentially reduces stress-related health issues and burnout while increasing job satisfaction and motivation, which are particularly important for teachers handling the transitional Grades 7 and 8 .

Perceived support from school administrators is strongly linked to higher job satisfaction and subjective well-being among teachers. Supportive leadership contributes to creating a positive school environment that enhances teachers' mental and emotional health, thus leading to higher levels of motivation and engagement in their professional responsibilities .

Administrative tasks, such as paperwork and compliance duties, contribute significantly to teachers’ stress and burnout by increasing their workload beyond teaching responsibilities, affecting their health and well-being . To address these challenges, the Department of Education in the Philippines has taken steps to reduce these administrative burdens, allowing teachers to concentrate more on instruction and enhancing work–life balance and job satisfaction, although the direct impact of these measures on teacher motivation and well-being remains understudied .

Understanding the relationship between administrative task reduction and teacher motivation is essential, as reducing non-teaching duties can potentially enhance teachers' focus on instructional activities, thereby boosting their motivation and job satisfaction. This understanding is particularly significant in the context of the MATATAG curriculum, where teachers face new challenges in strengthening students' foundational skills and must remain motivated and supported during these educational reforms to ensure teaching quality and effectiveness .

The MATATAG curriculum reform aims to enhance educational outcomes by strengthening students' foundational skills through updated teaching approaches, assessment methods, and learning strategies. For teachers, especially in Grades 7 and 8, this means adapting to these new requirements while managing the increased complexity of lesson planning, instruction, and learning material modification to meet diverse student needs .

Job demands significantly affect teachers' subjective well-being and job satisfaction; high demands can lead to stress and burnout, whereas supportive leadership has a positive impact by providing a conducive working environment. Supportive administration mitigates the negative effects of heavy workloads by fostering job satisfaction and emotional stability, which are crucial for teachers' long-term professional health .

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