PRINCIPALS’ ADMINISTRATIVE STRATEGIES AND SCHOOL COMMUNITY RELATIONS IN PUBLIC SECONDARY SCHOOLS IN AKWA IBOM NORTH WEST SENATORIAL DISTRICT, NIGERIA.

ABSTRACT

This study examined the relationship between Principals’ Administration Strategies and School Community Relations in Public Secondary Schools in Akwa Ibom North West Senatorial District, Nigeria. Four research objectives were obtained, four research questions were raised and for research hypotheses were formulated. A total population of (5,337) was used in the study. The sample size of seven hundred and fifteen respondents representing eighty six principals and six hundred and twenty nine Parents Teachers Association (PTA) members were used in the study. Multi stage sampling technique was used in the study which allowed other sampling techniques to be used. Proportional sampling technique was used in selecting the Parents Teachers Association members while purposive sampling technique was used in choosing all the principals in public secondary schools in Akwa Ibom North West Senatorial District. Two instruments were used in data collection were: Principals’ Administrative Strategies Questionnaire coded: (PASQ) which was used to obtain information for the independent variable while School Community Relations Questionnaire coded: (SCRQ) was used to obtain information for the dependent variable. The two instruments were validated by validates in the department of educational foundations faculty of education to see if it has been able to measure what it was suppose to measure and was tested with the reliability coefficient of 820. Mean and standard deviation were used in answering the research questions while simple linear regression was used in testing the null research hypotheses and all the null hypotheses were rejected as follows: information dissemination strategy was tested at 0.34 level of significance, decision making was tested at 0.37 level of significance interpersonal relationship was tested at 0.35 level of significance, leadership style was tested at 0.40 and financial management strategy was tested at 0.19 level of significance. The result of the findings shows that there is a significant relationship between principals’ information dissemination strategy, principals’ decision making strategy, principals’ interpersonal relationship strategy, principals’ leadership style and principals’ financial management strategy and school community relations in public secondary schools in Akwa Ibom North West senatorial District. Based on these findings, the following recommendations were given: principals should be exposed to effective communication process through seminars workshops, and the use of electronic devices in communicating with Students, Teachers, Parents Teachers Association members in secondary schools for them to know what is expected of them and to convey educational goals to the public at large, principals should not relent in accepting inputs from Parents Teachers Association members over school decisions, Principals should relate with teachers, students Parent Teachers Association (PTA) members with empathy by creating a conducive climate, principals should motivate Parent Teachers Association (PTA) members by showing appreciation over their contributions and also the drafted school budget and expenses should be properly documented for future references.

INTRODUCTION

1.1 Background of the Study

The school and the community are two institutions of man which are inseparable. The school exists for the community and the community on the other hand exists and acts as client to the school in that without the community there would be no school. Okorodudu (2013) opines that the school is a social institution that gives the children of the community formal education. It does this through the management of a good principal who assigns duties to the staff based on their area of specialization. Teachers are the students’ surrogates who are meant to impart knowledge to them under classroom instruction. This is done for them to receive the proper training to become educated and useful members in the society. Ukpong (2010) says that a school is an institution that has legal and organized procedures approved by the law to sort and select for the community. This is done through evaluating the performances of the students through tests, examinations and other classroom activities. The long term goal of the school is to train the children of the community both in character and in knowledge which will make them contribute to nation building. This can only be done through proper management of schools by principals by using different strategies in performing their daily routine functions.  A strategy is defined as concrete principles used by administrators in achieving organizational goals. Uko (2012) saw a strategy as tactics or skills used by managers in discharging their duties.  Therefore, principals’ administrative strategies could be defined as the different approaches employed by school administrators in performing their administrative duties in the school system. Akpan (2003) defined administrative strategies as plans of action designed to achieve a long term goal or overall aim. Also Stephenson (2014) opines that administrative strategies are standardized courses of actions that proffer solution with unparalleled services.

1.2  Statement of the Problem

It is the duty of principals to administer their schools in such a way that the style of administration and their public relations endear the schools to the communities where they are located. The way principals perform their daily routine functions of administrating staff and students ’personnel, proper implementation of the curriculum and instructional programmes, managing  of school finance, school plant and staff motivation effectively should be seen and appreciated by all, including staff, students and even the public.

Incidentally, this is not sometimes the case in many schools, especially those schools that were built by either the community or the mission. There are many unnecessary grounds for some communities accusing the school of one thing or the other, for instance, disagreements and accusations sometimes arise over maintenance of discipline   through breaking of bounds because there is no school fence and some families live right inside the school compound; or sometimes a principal might be involved in community politics with or without his knowledge.

 1.3  Objectives of the Study

The main objective of the study is to investigate the relationship between principals’ administrative strategies and school-community relations in public secondary schools in Akwa Ibom North West, Specifically the following will be the objectives:

1. To determine the  the extent to which  principals’  relationship information dissemination strategy  relates with school-community relations in public secondary schools in Akwa Ibom North West Senatorial District.

2. To examine the  extent  to which  relationship principals’ decision  making  strategy relates with  school-community relations in public secondary schools in Akwa Ibom North West Senatorial District.

3. To determine the extent to which   principals’ interpersonal relationship strategy relates with school-community relations in public secondary schools in   Akwa Ibom North West Senatorial District.

4. To determine the extent to which   principals’ leadership style relates with  school-community relations in Public Secondary Schools in Akwa Ibom North West Senatorial  District.

5. To determine the extent to which  principals’ financial management strategy relates with school community relations in public secondary schools in Akwa Ibom  North  West Senatorial District.

 1.4  Research Questions

The following research questions were formulated to guide the study:

1. What is the relationship between principals’ information dissemination strategy and school-community relations in public secondary schools in  Akwa Ibom North Wes Senatorial District.

2. What is the relationship between principals’ decision making strategy and school-community relations in public secondary schools in Akwa Ibom North West Senatorial District.  

3.  What is the relationship between principals’ interpersonal relationship strategy and school-community relations in public secondary schools in Akwa Ibom North West Senatorial District.

1.5  Research Hypotheses

The following null hypotheses were formulated to provide further guide to   the study.

1. There is no significant relationship between principals’ information dissemination strategy and school-community relations in public secondary schools in  Akwa Ibom  North West Senatorial District .

2. There is no significant relationship between principals’ decision making strategy and school-community relations in public secondary schools in  Akwa Ibom North Wes Senatorial District.

3. There is no significant relationship between principals’ interpersonal relationship strategy and school-community relations in public secondary schools in Akwa Ibom North West Senatorial District.

1.6  Significance of the Study

The findings from  this study  would be of significance to a number of people  namely , the  principals, vice principals , parents  Teachers Association members future researchers.

The findings from this study would help principals  to know  the different methods of communications they  should use in order to cover  larger communities when communicating educational goals to the public.

It will also provide   information to principals regarding ways the school agency like the  Parents Teachers Association members, the none teaching staff   and school prefects could be used to enhance administration of  secondary schools through concurrent  meetings of principals and Parents Teachers  Association members, where he could seek and respect their  ideas and also treat them as parents in education of their wards.

5.1 Summary of the Study

The study was carried out to examine principals’ administrative strategies and school-community relations in public secondary schools in Akwa Ibom North West. In order to achieve this purpose, five research questions were raised and five null hypotheses were formulated to guide the study. Correlation research design was used in the study. This design is considered suitable for the study because variables under investigation are assumed to have occurred and it involves the collection of data in order to determine the degree a relationship exist between two or more variables. The population of this study comprised all the 86 principals and (5251) Parent Teachers Association members from the 86 Public Secondary Schools in  Akwa Ibom North West Senatorial District.

The sample size of the study consisted of 86 Secondary School principals and 629 Parent Teachers Association members making up a total of (715) respondents. Purposive and proportional sampling techniques were used in this selection. Two instruments titled: Principals’ Administrative Strategies Questionnaire (PASQ) and School Community Relations Questionnaire (SCRQ) were used for data collection. Simple Linear Regression, Cronbach Alpha test analysis were the statistical tools employed for analyzing the data obtained. The result of the analysis revealed that principals information dissemination strategy, principals’ decision making strategy, principals’ interpersonal relationship strategy, principals leadership style as well as Principals’ financial management strategy significantly relate with School-Community relations among Parent-Teachers Association members in Akwa Ibom North West Senatorial District.

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