THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN EMOTIONAL INTELLIGENCE AND WORK STRESS ON THE QUALITY OF PRIMARY SCHOOL TEACHERS IN AYER KEROH, MELAKA

This study investigated the relationship between emotional intelligence, work stress, and the quality of primary school teachers in Ayer Keroh, Melaka. A sample of 298 teachers participated in the study, completing a questionnaire that assessed emotional intelligence, work stress, and teacher quality. Data analysis was conducted using SPSS version 28.0, employing descriptive statistics and Pearson's correlation.The findings revealed that the teachers in this study generally demonstrated high levels of emotional intelligence and quality, with moderate levels of work stress. A significant positive correlation was found between emotional intelligence and teacher quality (r = 0.231, p < 0.01), suggesting that teachers with higher emotional intelligence tend to exhibit higher quality teaching practices. Conversely, a significant negative correlation was observed between work stress and teacher quality (r = -0.187, p < 0.01), indicating that increased work stress may hinder teacher quality.These results underscore the importance of emotional intelligence in enhancing teacher quality, while highlighting the detrimental impact of high work stress. Therefore, it is imperative for schools and relevant stakeholders to prioritize interventions aimed at fostering emotional intelligence and mitigating work stress among teachers, ultimately contributing to the improvement of overall teaching quality.