Prevalence of Pre-Retirement Anxiety among Primary School Teachers in Anambra State

Abstract

Primary school teachers within Nigeria's Universal Basic Education (UBE) structure occupy a distinctive occupational position characterized by comparatively modest remuneration, limited career progression pathways, and, in many states, documented histories of pension administration difficulty affecting local government and state-managed teaching staff. This paper examines the prevalence and principal correlates of pre-retirement anxiety among primary school teachers in Anambra State, drawing on occupational stress theory and the conservation of resources (COR) framework as theoretical anchors. Using a qualitative synthesis of educational workforce literature, occupational psychology research, and documented reports on primary education administration in Nigeria and Anambra State specifically, the paper examines the extent and character of pre-retirement anxiety reported among primary school teachers, situating this population within the broader Nigerian civil service pension administration context while identifying occupation-specific factors that may elevate anxiety prevalence relative to other public sector employees. These factors include the historically documented irregularity of Local Government Education Authority (LGEA) salary and pension remittance in various Nigerian states, limited retirement savings capacity linked to modest teaching salaries, and comparatively constrained access to structured retirement planning support relative to state civil servants in higher-profile ministries. The paper finds that pre-retirement anxiety among Anambra primary school teachers appears elevated relative to general civil service populations, driven predominantly by financial security concerns linked to pension administration reliability, compounded by limited institutional retirement preparation support specific to the primary education subsector. The paper concludes with recommendations for strengthening pension administration transparency and extending targeted retirement planning support to primary education staff.