Comparative Study of Constraints to Administrative Effectiveness of Public and Private Secondary Schools in Enugu State
Enugu State University of Science and Technology
nwosuobieogu.ikenna@esut.edu.ng
Abstract
This study investigated constraints to administrative effectiveness of public and private secondary schools in Enugu State. Using a descriptive survey research design, 61 respondents (10% of the population of 708 principals) were sampled using proportionate stratified random sampling. Data were collected using a structured questionnaire and analyzed using mean, standard deviation, and t-test at 0.05 significance level. Results revealed that to a great extent, poor planning of school activities and parental influence constitute constraints to administrative effectiveness of public and private secondary school principals. It was recommended that every school administrator should sensitize their staff on the need for proper planning before executing any function within the school.
Keywords
Introduction
Schools are institutions with complex activities coordinated by persons working towards the realization of common societal goals, including the transmission of values and norms from one generation to another. Effective administration enhances coordination of school resources and achievement of educational goals. The school principal is the accounting officer of the school who is either blamed or praised depending on the degree of effectiveness in influencing activities within and outside the school to enhance teaching and learning. Principals perform essential administrative functions such as planning, organizing, directing, and controlling. They identify the vision, mission, strategies, and objectives of the school and provide means of accomplishing them. Nigeria faces numerous challenges in its education sector, including inadequate funding, poor salaries, student population explosion, poor teachers' job satisfaction, unconducive learning environments, and inadequate supply of educational facilities, resulting in declining quality of education.
Statement of the Problem
There has been serious concern over students' poor performance in public examinations such as WAEC, NECO, and JAMB. This situation poses a serious threat to the economic development of Enugu State, as many students may not qualify for university admission, and those admitted often find it difficult to complete their education due to poor secondary school background. Concern has been expressed by government, parents, and individuals that secondary schools are no longer adequately achieving their objectives due to constraints to administrative effectiveness. This study investigated whether poor academic performance of students is due to constraints to administrative effectiveness of secondary school principals, specifically examining poor planning of school activities and parental influence as key constraints.
Methodology
The study employed a descriptive survey research design. The area of study was Enugu State, which has six education zones: Agbani, Awgu, Enugu, Nsukka, Obollo Afor, and Udi. The population consisted of 708 secondary school principals comprising 287 public school principals and 421 private secondary school principals. Proportionate stratified random sampling was used to select 10% of the total population, giving 61 principals for the study. The instrument for data collection was a structured questionnaire titled "Questionnaire on Constraints to Administrative Effectiveness of Public and Private Secondary School Principal in Enugu State (QCAEPPSSP)," validated by three experts. Mean and standard deviation were used to answer research questions, while t-test was used for testing hypotheses at 0.05 level of significance.
Results
Research question one revealed that poor planning of school activities constitutes constraints to administrative effectiveness of secondary school principals, as grand mean scores of response options were below the acceptable point. The implication is that poor planning of school activities constitutes problems of administrative effectiveness in the school system. Research question two revealed that the grand mean score of principals in public schools was 2.65 while that of private schools was 2.67, indicating that to a great extent, parental influence in school activities constitutes a constraint to administrative effectiveness of secondary school principals. Hypothesis one testing showed t-calculated value of 1.44 against critical value of 1.96, indicating no significant difference between public and private school principals on poor planning constraints. Hypothesis two testing showed t-calculated value of 1.76 against critical value of 1.96, indicating no significant difference between public and private school principals on parental influence constraints.
Discussion of Findings
The findings confirmed that poor planning of school activities constitutes constraints to administrative effectiveness of public and private secondary school principals. This aligns with the views of Eze and Okeke (2023), who noted that administrators give orders and discipline for maximum outcomes through cooperative plans that must be done on time and enlist the support of those concerned to achieve objectives. Ibrahim and Lawal (2024) observed that as an educational leader, the principal is responsible for supervision of instruction and execution of other administrative functions, with the main function being concerned with the improvement of the quality of instruction in the school system. The finding on parental influence aligns with Ogunyemi and Sadiq (2024), who noted that PTA provides a link through which parents and the community assume partnership responsibility and participate in the education of their children.
Conclusion and Recommendations
The study concluded that poor planning of school activities and parental influence constitute significant constraints to administrative effectiveness of both public and private secondary school principals in Enugu State, with no significant difference between the two school types. It was recommended that every school administrator should sensitize their staff on the need for proper planning before executing any function within the school. Principals should involve teachers in decision-making about educational programmes and operations, channel school limited resources in pursuit of desirable educational programmes, and consider the values and aspirations of students while planning school activities. Strengthening the relationship between schools and parents through active PTA engagement can also help address parental influence constraints and improve overall administrative effectiveness.