PRINCIPALS’ SOCIAL BEHAVIOUR MANAGEMENT AND PUBLIC SECONDARY SCHOOL ADMINISTRATION IN RIVERS STATE

Abstract

The study investigated principals’ social behavior management and public secondary school administration in Rivers State. Two research questions and hypotheses guided the study. The population of the study was 529 Principals in public secondary schools in Rivers State, with a sample size of 270 principals, which comprised of 130 principals from senior secondary schools and 140 principals from junior secondary schools representing 51% of the target population with a sample technique. The research instrument titled principals’ social behavior management and public secondary school administration questionnaire (PSBPSSAQ) was used for data collection. The instrument was validated using Cronbach Alpha to establish the interval consistency of the instrument yielding a reliability index of 0.82. Data was analyzed using mean and standard deviation (SD), while the null hypotheses were tested with a Z-test at 0.5 level of significance. The result of the study revealed that principals have challenge implementing decision from teachers and they do not consider alternative decisions, but only based them on intuition. Also the study revealed that principals reject information from teachers either wrong or right but according to their source. Principals communicate with staff pre-inform them about planned targets. Based in the findings, the study concluded that when school administrations put into consideration the opinion of teachers and necessary alternatives before making decisions, it will result to effective administration of schools. Based on the findings school administration (Principals) should also seek the opinion of teachers most times, before making vital decisions as it bothers the school.