Emotional Intelligence Links and Job Fulfilment of Public Primary School Head Teachers in the Remote Communities of Zambia: A Case Study of Eastern Province

Emotional intelligence (EI) is increasingly recognised as a key predictor of leadership effectiveness and professional wellbeing, particularly in challenging work environments. This study investigates the connection between Emotional intelligence (EI) and job fulfilment (JF) among public primary school head teachers serving in remote communities of Zambia’s Eastern Province. It further investigates the contextual factors that weaken this relationship and contribute to persistent job dissatisfaction. The inquiry is situated within long-standing challenges in rural education—including limited socio-economic amenities, chronic underfunding, resource shortages, and poor infrastructure which have fuelled the migration of teachers to urban centres. These systemic constraints have intensified teacher shortages and undermined learning outcomes in remote schools. Although EI has been globally linked to positive workplace experiences, its influence on job fulfilment in rural African contexts remains underexplored, particularly when assessed through Western-derived job satisfaction models. A sequential explanatory mixed-methods design, further informed by Heideggerian hermeneutic phenomenology, was employed to provide a rich and in-depth understanding of the EI-JF link. Quantitative findings indicate no statistically significant connection between EI and overall JF. However, significant internal correlations were observed among EI competencies and among various dimensions of job fulfilment. Female head teachers scored higher on EI and reported greater intrinsic fulfilment than their male counterparts. Qualitative data revealed that geographical isolation, adverse cultural norms, inadequate working conditions, and the absence of essential amenities constrain the extent to which EI can translate into enhanced job fulfilment. These findings align with Goleman’s EI competency framework, Kalleberg’s Job Satisfaction model, and the Person–Environment Fit theory. Despite considerable challenges, most head teachers expressed moderate to high levels of fulfilment, largely driven by non-monetary factors such as passion for teaching, empathy for learners, community appreciation, and supportive school environments. These intrinsic motivators had a notably stronger impact on female leaders. The study offers valuable insights for policy reforms aimed at improving teacher retention in rural Zambia and highlights the need for interventions that reduce environmental barriers while strengthening non-financial motivators among school leaders.