AMBIENT NOISE LEVELS IN BASIC SCHOOLS AND IMPACTS ON THE PRODUCTIVITY OF TEACHERS

Elevated ambient noise levels have a negative impact on human capital and the productivity of teachers. This study determined the levels of ambient noise in selected basic schools using the calibrated Sound Level Meter (SLM-814) and used a set of questionnaires to evaluate the perception of 276 full-time basic school teachers in the Old Tafo Municipality, Ghana, on the effects of noise on their productivity and workability from January to October 2023. Descriptive statistics, Pearson's Chi-square analysis, and the Ordinal regression analysis were performed on the data. The highest Weighted Equivalent Sound Pressure Level (LAeq) was 68.5 dBA, and the lowest was 55.7 dBA. All 20 selected basic schools recorded LAeq beyond the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and World Health Organization's (WHO) threshold (55 dBA). Twenty-two (8%) of the teachers encountered a low effect on productivity. Two hundred and twenty (79.7%) of the teachers encountered a moderate effect, while the remaining 34 (12.3%) experienced a high effect of noise on their productivity. The model fitting information from the ordinal regression analyses showed a Chi-square and p-value of 14.5 and 0.15, respectively, indicating that the regression model was statistically insignificant and the predictors could not improve the model. The Goodness-of-Fit had a Pearson's Chi-square and p-value of 87.399 and 0.32, respectively, and suggested the model fit well. Nagelkerke's R-squared was 0.071 and suggested that 7.1% of the variance in the impact of noise on teachers' productivity was explained by the model. Holding other variables constant, teachers with 16 -20 years of experience reduced the odds of the higher effect of noise on productivity (OR = 0.14 and p = 0.04). All other variables were statistically insignificant and did not influence productivity. Future studies should conduct a longitudinal study to establish causality and determine the influencing variables on productivity.