Abstract

• The objective of this research is to study the relationship between teachers’ empowerment and teachers’ professional commitment. In this study, quantitative and qualitative research methods were used. Questionnaire survey was carried out in this study. One hundred and fifty-two teachers were selected as participants from ten Basic Education High Schools in Kawhmu Township, Yangon Region by using proportional stratified sampling method. The questionnaire was comprised of three sections. Section A included 7 items for teachers’ demographic variables. Section B included 35 items for teacher empowerment. Section C included 17 items for teachers’ professional commitment and 8 open-ended questions. The questionnaires were piloted with 40 senior teachers from Basic Education High School. The reliability coefficients (Cronbach’s α) for teachers’ empowerment and teachers’ professional commitment were 0.89 and 0.71 respectively. In this study descriptive statistics, one-way ANOVA, Tukey HSD test and Pearson-product moment correlation were used to analyze the data. For qualitative study, semi-structure questions were used. According to the findings, the level of teaches’ perceptions on their empowerment was somewhat empowerment. There were slight differences on teachers’ empowerment grouped by age, qualification, position and teaching services. Also the level of teachers’ professional commitment was high. And then there were also slight differences on teachers’ professional commitment grouped by age, qualification, position and teaching services. There was positive and moderate relationship between teachers’ empowerment and teachers’ professional commitment.