Thesis Abstract

<p> </p><p>The study examined the relationship between demographic and personality variables and principals’<br>performance in the management of secondary schools in South-South, Nigeria. The corelational survey design<br>was adopted for the study. 13 research questions and 10 hypotheses guided the study. The population of the<br>study comprised of 1,356 principals of public secondary schools. The sample for the study consisted of 310<br>principals obtained using Taro Yamen’s formula. Proportionate stratified random sampling was used to select<br>the number of principals per state while disproportionate stratified random sampling was used to select the<br>number of principals per senatorial zone for fair representation. Four instruments namely principals’<br>motivational factors questionnaire (PMFQ), principals’ leadership style questionnaire (PLSQ), principals’<br>performance scale (PPS), and plant observation rating scale (PORS) were used for data collection. These<br>instruments were face validated by three experts Two in educational administration and planning, and one in<br>measurement and evaluation, from University of Nigeria, Nsukka. The overall internal consistency reliability<br>co-efficient index of the instruments obtained through cronbach alpha method were 0.97 for principals’<br>motivational factors questionnaire, 0.60 for principals’ leadership style questionnaire, 0.93 for principals’<br>performance scale, and 0.95 for plant observation rating scale. The data collected were presented using means,<br>standard deviations, and correlation co-efficient. The null hypotheses were tested using multiple regressions and<br>associated t-tests at 0.05 level of significance. It was found that most principals were males, married, had first<br>degrees in different aspects of education, and have served as principals and vice principals for not more than 11<br>years. Principals in South-South, Nigeria exhibited open leadership styles. The factors that motivated principals<br>in the performance of their duties were nature of work, recognition, responsibility, achievement and prospects<br>for advancement. Principals’ performance was high in instructional supervision, communication, decisionmaking,<br>provision of incentives, financial management, adherence to legal status, and conflict management.</p><p>Their performance was low in human resources development, public relations, and school plant management.<br>Leadership styles, educational qualification, and working experience had substantial correlation coefficients<br>with principals’ performance in some task areas of management of secondary schools. Demographic and<br>personality factors had joint significant relationship (P&lt;0.05) with principals’ performance in all the task areas<br>of management of secondary schools. These variables predicted 16.3%, 25%, 28.7%, 38.3%, 32.6%, 20.8%,<br>15.2%, 17.4%, 34%, and 6.8% of the variance in instructional supervision, communication, decision making,<br>provision of incentives, human resource development, public relations, financial management, adherence to<br>legal status, conflict management and resolution, and plant management respectively. The following variables<br>predicted performance in different task areas; Leadership style predicted in all the task areas except plant<br>management; location in instructional supervision, communication and plant management; marital status in<br>decision making and public relations; experience as principals in financial management; and academic<br>qualification in plant management. Age and gender did not predict principals’ performance in any of the task<br>areas. Major implications is that leadership style, experience, qualification and marital status impacted<br>positively on principals’ performance; and the performance of principals will not depend whether the person is a<br>male. Based on these findings and implications, it was recommended that appointment of principals should not<br>be based on age and gender since they have no substantial relationship with any of the task areas while<br>educational qualification, years of working experience, and marital status should be considered since these<br>variables have significant and substantial relationship with principals’ performance in different task areas of<br>management. Professional development and capacity building programmes in human resources development,<br>public relations, and school plant management should be constantly organized by government for principals<br>since their performance was low in these tasks areas. Besides, effort to improve the level of motivation of<br>principals should be made by the respective state governments on the provision and maintenance of school<br>facilities, and the involvement of principals in decision-making.<br>×vi<br>1</p> <br><p></p>

Thesis Overview

<p> </p><p><strong>INTRODUCTION</strong></p><p><strong>Background to the Study</strong></p><p>Secondary Education is a six-year form of education which children receive after primary<br>school before proceeding to the tertiary level of education. According to the National Policy of<br>Education (Federal Republic of Nigeria, 2004), secondary education is the form of education<br>attended by children after primary education and before tertiary education with the aim of<br>preparing individual for useful living within the society and for tertiary education. Secondary<br>educations exist within the ambits of the law and are supervised by the Ministry of Education<br>and its State agencies. For instance Section 18(3)b of the Constitution of the Federal Republic<br>of Nigeria 2011 as amended provides for the existence of free secondary education while the<br>Nigerian Educational Edicts and laws promulgated in 1955 and 1965 covered the rights of<br>Secondary Education. The education laws promulgated by the states in the Federation laid down<br>rules and regulations in respect of administration and management of Secondary Education.<br>The principal is the administrative head of secondary schools who ensures the effective<br>implementation of policies and progammes for the achievement of the school goals. For the<br>attainment of the objectives of secondary schools, the curriculum has been developed to suit such<br>desires which are to be implemented by the Principal with the coorporation of competent<br>teachers.</p><p>The authority of the secondary school principal, according to Ogbonnaya (2009), is<br>viewed in the position occupied as well as the functions performed. The Principal implements<br>the educational programmes of the school, ensured the provision of facilities and equipment,<br>keeps records both statutory and non-statutory in addition to creating a conducive teaching and<br>learning atmosphere in schools. These are summed up by Ogbonnaya cited in Mgbodile (2004)<br>1<br>2<br>into five areas, namely: Development and implementation of educational programmes,<br>Development of teaching staff, Student relation function, Community relation function and<br>financial function. Similarly, Ocho and Okeke (1997) classified these functions into five namely:<br>management of instructional programme, staff personnel administration, student personnel<br>administration, financial and physical resource management. Stoner (2002) noted that<br>supervision of the teaching and learning process, decision making, conflict resolution,<br>communication, record keeping, fund management, plant management, public relations and<br>compliance to legal stipulations are critical aspects of school management. In this study, the<br>following aspects namely: Instructional supervision, communication, decision making, provision<br>of incentives for teachers and students, human resource development, public relations, funds<br>management, plant management, adherence to statutory provisions, and conflict<br>management/resolution are considered.</p><p>Instructional supervision has to do with what the principal does to promote or direct<br>teaching and learning in the school. This according to Mgbodile (2004) involves the task of<br>ensuring that organized teaching and learning is effective in the school system. This is done by<br>the principal to see that meaningful learning takes place in all classes and that teachers are<br>teaching what they are supposed to teach and are undertaking the teaching in a manner that the<br>students understand and enjoy their lessons. The essence of instructional supervision is to assist<br>teachers with ideas and suggestions that will improve their instructional delivery, as well as<br>identify their needs and problems. Haruna (2008) noted that instructional supervision is the first<br>and the most important responsibility of a school principal. No wonder Carter (2008) explained<br>that the cardinal index of the performance evaluation of the school administrator rests on the<br>leadership ability in instructional supervision.</p> <br><p></p>