PRINCIPALS ADMINISTRATIVE STYLES FOR TEACHING EFFECTIVENESS IN PUBLIC SECONDARY SCHOOLS IN EMOHUA LGA IN RIVER’S STATE

Abstract

This study was on principal’s administrative styles for teaching effectiveness in public secondary schools in Emohua LGA in Rivers state. Three objectives were raised which included: To determine administrative styles used by principals and teachers for secondary school effectiveness, to assess principal communication pattern with teachers and students on secondary school effectiveness and to examine principals engage teachers in decision making of the school and its effectiveness on secondary school. The total population for the study is 75 staffs of selected secondary schools in Emohua LGA in Rivers State. The researcher used questionnaires as the instrument for the data collection. Descriptive Survey research design was adopted for this study. The data collected were presented in tables and analyzed using simple percentages and frequencies. The study recommended that Principals should be trained and retrained through in-service, workshops, seminars, and conferences to make them more effective and efficient in the use of democratic leadership style and Principals using laissez-affair and authoritarian leadership styles should use the styles wisely by ensuring adequate supervision and non-dictatorial tendencies, respectively

Chapter one

Introduction

1.1Background of the study

The school administration is an important aspect in modern societies, and is considered an essential base of social systems that empowers the establishment of the base of these systems and the domination of security and creation. The power of the school administration is increased by its creative contribution when it adopts the concepts of equality and respect, which provide satisfaction and comfort and increased sense of belongingness and loyalty, which deepen the collaboration among humans (Onye and Anyaogu, 2017). Secondary education, the second stage traditionally found in formal education, is important institutions in the achievement of the educational policy of the nation. As a formal organization, it has a bureaucratic administrative structure with established rules and regulations, objectively aimed at providing the needed opportunities for the development of learners and staff of the schools and under the leadership of the head-teacher or Principal. The Principal according to (Olagbaju, and Nnorom, 2019) is responsible for the overall administration of a high school, grades 9-12, including the direction and supervision of the educational program, curriculum development, and guidance services. The country’s educational goals have been set out in the National Policy on Education in terms of their relevance to the needs of the individual and the society (FRN, 2013). Against this backdrop, the National Policy on Education set up aims and objectives, which were to facilitate educational development in the country. In fostering these aims and objectives, the school principal has important roles to play. Among this roles include providing effective managerial skills and styles in the art and science of administering secondary schools, thereby enhancing better job performance among teachers that could enhance students’ academic performance. How effective the principal is in performing these roles has been a matter of concern to many educationists (Olatunji, 2015).

It is therefore not surprising that the success of a school depends to a considerable extent on the leadership styles projected by the principal who has much effect on the teachers in the dissemination of knowledge to students. It seems however, that quite a good number of school principals have not considered their styles of administration as determinants of effectiveness in the State and the nation at large. Hence, some of them seem to find it extremely difficult to effectively lead their schools (Adwelle, 2014). However, the interest towards strong educational leadership in 21st Century is based on the certainty that, principals’ leadership attributes in schools makes a substantial difference to student achievement and the effectiveness of secondary schools. The contemporary global perception about the sustainability and effectiveness of the secondary school is that, principals’ leadership training is highly significant in order to provide the best possible Leadership Attributes that would reward high educational achievement on students. Many countries are apprehending that their main resources are their citizens, for a country to peak up the race and compete with other nation in terms of development depends progressively on the growth of a highly skilled personnel. This requires highly trained principals and dedicated teachers (Obama, Lucy and John, 2016).

Education as field of study has finally embrace school leadership as an essential ingredient in reform, worthy of investment in its own right. Principals are faced with escalating challenges based on the various demands from different classes of students, states and districts, to meet up with these demands and reform, school principals should be well prepared to change their leadership attributes towards schools effectiveness, not just manage buildings and budgets (Okafor, 2011). Principal is in better position to safeguard the outstanding teaching and learning in every classroom within the secondary schools. In fact, principals’ leadership attributes is a factor succeeding the quality teaching among school towards influencing teaching and learning condition. Voss, T., Kunter, M., & Baumert, J. (2011) affirm that the principal as a teacher and the leader of the school should be dynamic and believe in change and have capacity to prepare future leaders and develop the skills that may need to succeed in the future

Statement of the problem

Many principal in ability to allow for different leadership styles at different times in the management of their schools constitute the major problem the school system is facing. In fact there are many styles which cannot describe precisely which ought to have been used by school heads. In many instances one discovered that principals do not motivate their staff when they are supposed to do so. Also many teachers fail to go for training to overcome their weaknesses as the principals show favouritism by not nominating them for such and in some schools the principals allow for laziness in teachers with the renitent effect of teachers showing non- challant attitudes to their work. Some principals are just too rigid and abhor teamwork and they are such that you cannot give those pieces of advice because as principals they feel that they know everything and are just too arrogant to work or allow for the decision making process to be participative. Some of these problems lead to many negative outcomes, one of which is mass failure in school examinations. Also some leaders are very lazy as they leave what would have been handled by them to their vice principals and senior teachers. In many cases they hardly look through the lesson plans critically but merely appended their signatures on lesson plans without having time to make corrections. Many of the principals just peep through the windows of the classrooms instead of sitting with teachers in class to observe the teaching and class management. Some of the principals are so bias that they hardly see anything good in some of their staff due to biasness

Objective of the study

The objectives of the study are;

1. To determine administrative styles used by principals and teachers for secondary school effectiveness
2. To assess principal communication pattern with teachers and students on secondary school effectiveness.
3. To examine principals engage teachers in decision making of the school and its effectiveness on secondary school

Research question

These research questions were asked

1. What are the administrative styles used by the principals and teachers to enhance secondary school effectiveness?
2. What are the principals’ communication pattern with teachers and students on secondary school effectiveness?
3. To what extent do principals engage teachers in decision making of the school and its effectiveness on secondary school?

Research hypotheses

The following null hypotheses were postulated;

1. There is no significant difference in the mean rating of administrative styles used by the principals and teachers to enhance secondary school effectiveness.
2. There is no significant difference in the principals’ communication pattern with teachers and students on secondary school effectiveness.
3. There is no significant difference in the principals engage teachers in decision making of the school and its effectiveness on secondary school.

Significance of the study

The study evaluated the principals leadership styles in Secondary Schools in Emohua LGA in River’s State. The study is significant in some ways. The study is expected to come-out with findings that will lead to a better understanding of leadership styles which will in turn lead to better achievement of school goals in secondary schools whether private or public. The findings of this study will be useful not only to school principals but also to teachers who are also most important component of school administration. The finding of the study will assist administrators and educational planners in the quest for the best leadership styles in schools. It also hoped that this research work will contribute to the existing knowledge by bringing new ideas and challenges to educational leadership and administration by analyzing and evaluating the various leadership styles in secondary schools, the study is expected to help principals realize their worth as the chief executives of educational institutions whose leadership roles can build or destroy the institution and thereby hinder them from achieving the school goals.

Scope of the study

Principals Administrative Styles for Teaching Effectiveness in Public Secondary Schools in Emohua LGA in River’s State. The study will be limited

Limitation of the study

Financial constraint: Insufficient fund tends to impede the efficiency of the researcher in sourcing for the relevant materials, literature or information and in the process of data collection (internet, questionnaire and interview)

Time constraint: The researcher will simultaneously engage in this study with other academic work. This consequently will cut down on the time devoted for the research work.

 Definition of terms

Principal administration: The Principal is part of a Divisional Administrative Team whose function is to support and assist the schools in meeting the overall objectives of the Division and the needs of individual students. The role of the Principal is to provide leadership, direction and co-ordination within the school.

Teaching effective: effectively allocates time for students to engage in hands-on experiences, discuss and process content and make meaningful connections. H. designs lessons that allow students to participate in empowering activities in which they understand that learning is a process and mistakes are a natural part of learning

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