The study examines the perceived levels of professionalism and job satisfaction among private preschool teachers in Kamayut Township, Yangon, Myanmar. As preschool education is vital for shaping children’s early learning, the role of preschool teachers is integral to fostering and nurturing their holistic development. Although early childhood education is becoming increasingly important, there is a lack of research addressing how private preschool teachers perceive their professionalism and how this influences their job satisfaction in Myanmar.

Through a mixed-methods approach, combining quantitative surveys and qualitative ranking- order and open-ended questions, this research aimed to explore the relationship between teachers’ perception of professionalism and their job contentment. Data were collected from 75 private preschool teachers across three preschools, using stratified sampling to ensure diverse representation. Findings reveal that teachers generally perceive themselves as professionals, with high scores in areas such as collaboration, ethical behaviour and commitment to children’s learning. However, key challenges such as low pay, heavy workloads and limited professional growth opportunities were highlighted as significant barriers to job satisfaction.

The study finds a moderate positive correlation between professionalism and job satisfaction, suggesting that fostering professional development and recognizing teachers’ contributions could enhance job satisfaction and retention. The results provide valuable insights for educators, school administrators and policymakers in improving working conditions and support systems for private preschool teachers in Myanmar.