ABSTRACT
This study investigated management practices adopted by primary school heads as correlates of child-friendly school environment in secondary schools in South East, Nigeria. The study adopted a correlational design. Six research questions and six hypotheses guided the study. The population of the study is 21,179, and a sample size of 1059 respondents consisting of 286 head teachers and 773 primary six pupils were selected using multi stage sampling technique. Two sets of structured questionnaire were developed to collect data. The first questionnaire titled: Primary School Head Teachers Management Practices Questionnaire (PSHTMQ) with 40 items was designed to collect data on Management practices of head teachers while the second questionnaire titled “Child Friendly School Environment Questionnaire (CFSEQ) with 14 items was designed to collect information on child-friendly school environment. The instruments were validated by three experts; two from the Department of Educational Management and one expert from Measurement and Evaluation all in Michael Okpara University of agriculture, Umudike. The reliability of the instrument was established using test-retest method and a reliability of 0.78 was obtained. Data were analyzed using Pearson Moment Product Correlation to answer the research questions and to test the hypotheses at 0.05 level of significance. The findings revealed that: there was a positive low relationship between communication of primary school head teachers and child-friendly school environment, there was a positive low relationship between communication of primary school head teachers and child-friendly school environment, there was a negative low relationship between provision of teaching facilities by primary school head teachers and child-friendly school environment. Some of the recommendations made based on the findings include that; the head teachers should ensure that a good environment is created for good interpersonal relationship between them, their fellow teachers, parents and the students. This can be achieved by creating periods for PTA meetings, home visits by school heads and teachers, the head teachers should also ensure that students are taught their mother tongue as well as accommodate students’ mother tongue, as this would enable students to open up to learning and their environment.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
PAGES
Title Page i
Declaration ii
Certification iii
Dedication iv
Acknowledgements v
Table of Contents vi
List of Tables ix
Abstract xi
CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION 1
1.1 Background
to the Study 1
1.2 Statement
of the Problem 10
1.3 Purpose
of the Study 10
1.4 Research
Questions 11
1.5 Hypotheses 12
1.6 Significance
of the Study 12
1.7 Scope
of the Study 13
CHAPTER 2: REVIEW OF RELATED
LITERATURE 15
2.1 Conceptual Framework 15
2.1.1 Management 15
2.1.2 Primary school head teachers 19
2.1.3 Management practices of primary school head teachers 21
2.1.4 Primary school 47
2.1.5 Child-friendly school environment 48
2.2
Theoretical Framework
57
2.2.1
Inter-personal
theory 57
2.2.2 Maslow’s
theory of needs 58
2.2.3 Social
network theory 61
2.3 Empirical Studies 63
2.4 Summary of Review of Related
Literature 75
CHAPTER 3:
METHODOLOGY 78
3.1 Design
of the Study 78
3.2 Area
of the Study 79
3.3 Population
of the Study 80
3.4 Sample
and Sampling Techniques 80
3.5 Instrument
for Data Collection 82
3.6 Validation
of the Instrument 83
3.7 Reliability
of the Instrument 83
3.8 Method
of Data Collection 84
3.9 Method
of Data Analysis 84
CHAPTER 4: RESULTS AND DISCUSION 86
4.1 Results 86
4.2 Major
Findings of the Study 95
4.3 Discussion of the Findings 96
CHAPTER 5: SUMMARY, CONCLUSION AND
RECOMMENDATIONS 101
5.1 Summary
of the Procedure Used for the Study 101
5.2 Conclusion 103
5.3 Educational Implications of the Study 104
5.4 Recommendations 105
5.5 Limitations of the Study 106
5.6 Suggestions for further
Study 107
REFERENCES
APPENDICES
LIST OF TABLES
PAGES
4.1: Correlation matrix of
inter-personal
relationship of primary school head teachers
and child-friendly school environment 86
4.2: Regression analysis of
inter-personal
relationship of primary school head teachers
and child-friendly school environment 87
4.3: Correlation
matrix of communication of
primary
school head teachers and
child-friendly
school environment 88
4.4: Regression analysis of
communication of
primary school head teachers and
child friendly school environment 89
4.5: Correlation matrix of provision
of teaching
facilities by primary school head teachers
and child-friendly school environment 89
4.6: Regression analysis of
provision of teaching
facilities by primary school head
teachers
and child-friendly school
environment 90
4.7: Correlation matrix of
delegation of duties by
primary school head teachers relates to
child-friendly school environment 91
4.8: Regression analysis of
delegation of duties by
primary school head teachers and
child-friendly school environment 92
4.9: Correlation matrix of
supervision by primary
school head teachers and child-friendly
school environment 92
4.10: Regression
analysis of supervision by
primary school head teachers and
child-friendly school environment 93
4.11: Correlation matrix of good
leadership
practices of head teachers and child-friendly
school environment 94
4.12: Regression
analysis of good leadership
practices of head teachers and child-friendly
school
environment 95
CHAPTER 1
INTRODUCTION
1.1
BACKGROUND TO THE STUDY
There is always a beginning in every journey
which in turn determines the success or failure of the said journey. Education
system in Nigeria is not an exemption and therefore must have a starting point
that leads to other levels of education. Primary education is the foundation of
education system in Nigeria and it is the education given in an institution for
children aged 6 to 12 plus. It is the fundamental and foundation of every other
education system (Federal Republic of Nigeria FRN, 2014). Its duration is six
years. It is compulsory in Nigeria.
Primary education is the first formal exposure to education for many
Nigerian children. A high premium is placed on this level of education to the
extent that the Federal Government declares that it is the key to success or
failure of the whole education system since the rest of the education is built
on it (FRN, 2014). In other words, it is the substructure upon which the super
structure is built. Primary education is
a stepping stone to other levels of education. The elementary literacy and
numeracy are got from this level of education, because of its important role;
conducive environment is needed for its operation.
Everyone needs conducive environment for
effective growth, development and performance. The environment, particularly
the educational environment has to be cordial for effective teaching and
learning. Environment in this study is the space occupied and surroundings of
an organization, community and market. Kohan and Hill (2011) defined environment
as the physical and social surroundings of individuals and organizations. Also,
Lawanson and Gede (2015) defined environment as the compound or space
accommodated by a particular event, organization or community. To this end, it
is obvious to note that for pupils to perform well and be friendly there should
be an environment where they gather to study. This environment is known and
called primary school environment.
Primary school environment is the surrounding
or space where pupils of 6 to 12 years gather for teaching and learning
activities. Ehiametalor in Moss (2013) defined school environment as a
particular space or location in a particular community where academic
activities are carried out. In his own view, Sawyer (2014) defined school environment
as the physical and social surroundings of a school that enhance teaching and
learning. The environment could be physical, social, psychological, or
spiritual in nature, and these are often expressed in one’s home, school or
both. School environment plays significant roles in nurturing and training of
someone, including children, hence, the child could be positively or negatively
influenced by his/her environment. The importance of child-friendly school
environment as a basis for the actualization of children education cannot be
over-emphasized. Aharuwhe (2013) observed that for a child friendly school
environment to be achieved, school head teachers must develop strong
cooperative attitude in working collaboratively with teachers, motivation of
teachers and students, having good inter-personal relationship with teachers
and students, curriculum development, community development and in
communication ability.
A child-friendly environment is one that is
conducive for learning; staff are friendly to children, and the health and
safety needs of the children are adequately met. Amenyeonu and Chime (2011)
defined a child-friendly school as educational
institution that is inclusive, protective, and healthy of all children
regardless of their social background, ethnic origin, gender, and level of
ability. It has all the necessary facilities that make the child’s school
experience more effective and comfortable. Also, Bakwia (2013) opined that a
child-friendly school environment is respectful of all children, and the
families and communities of the pupils are invested in school life as well as
the pupils themselves. The main purpose of child-friendly school environment as
mentioned in Michael and David (2012), is moving the school education system
towards the progressive quality standards, addressing the elements which
influence the basic rights and well-being of the child along with improving the
quality of teaching and the school functions.
Quality standards will help children to make
their school experience as comfortable, safe, and painless as possible, and
develop their full potential with the help, support, and encouragement of
teachers. Child-friendly school is characterized by the following principles as
stipulated by United Nations International Children Emergency Fund (UNICEF)
(2009) the school is child seeking, the school is child-centered, the school is
inclusive, the school is protective, the school is effective for gaining
knowledge and the school is gender sensitive. It works to attract and retain children from
different backgrounds, to respect diversity of opinion, and ensure
non-discrimination in their relationship with other people.
This explains why in developed countries,
children stay in permanent and well ventilated building sharing the experience
of learning, developing their potential and enriching their lives. But in
developing countries like Nigeria the situation is different. Schooling is not
always a juicy experience for many children. Schooling most times is associated
with threat of punishment, humiliation, violence in the hands of teachers and
fellow pupils, sometimes staying in dilapidated buildings while learning. From
the above explanation, it is becomes imperative that child-friendly school environment
can only be achieved if the management practices of the head teachers are
effective and efficient.
Head teachers in this context refer to
head-masters or mistress of primary schools that are responsible for the
day-to-day activities of a primary school. Duze (2011) defined primary school
head teachers as school administrators that are responsible for all the
activities in the school. Also, Igwe (2011) described head teachers as the
managers of schools. As a formal organization, the performance and behavior of
every child in the school depends on the management practices of the head
teachers. This calls for adequate knowledge of the concept of management.
Management in this study simply means the
process of planning, controlling and directing materials and manpower in order
to achieve the objectives of the organization. Kinicki and Williams (2013)
defined management as the pursuit of organizational goals efficiently and effectively
by integrating the work of people through planning, organizing, leading and
controlling the organization’s resources. It is referred to as the efficient
and effective organization and utilization of human and material resources in a
particular system for the achievement of identified goals (Ogumu, 2000). In
education, management is seen as the process of planning, organizing, directing
and controlling the activities of an institution by utilizing human and
material resources so as to efficiently and effectively accomplish teaching and
learning (Unachukwu and Okorji, 2014). From the foregoing, it is clear that the
success of any school system is a direct function of the managerial ability of
the school head, who has the exclusive responsibility to plan the activities of
the school, design tasks according to the activities, organize people
(teachers) according to the tasks, communicate, direct, lead and motivate them
to put in their “all” for the effective achievement of the school objectives.
The school manager, which is also referred to, as the school administrator, must
create a task-oriented climate where teachers will be committed to work (Okon,
2008). In his own contribution, Peretomode (2012), opined that one major
concern of educational administrators has been how to motivate, create and
ensure a feeling of job satisfaction and high morale in their teachers and
other subordinates since it is empirically known that motivated and satisfied
teachers with high morale, tend to be more committed to their duties and also
more productive in their work. Hence the need for management practices.
Management practices of head teachers entails
techniques, skills and processes exhibited by the head teacher in the course of
controlling and organizing the activities of the school (Obunadike, 2008:a).
Adepoju and Febiyi (2007) opined that management practices of head teachers are
those professional behaviours they exhibit to teachers, pupils and the
community where the school is situated. Adepoju and Febiyi further outlined
some of the management practices of head teachers that encourages serene and
child-friendly environment to include; time management practices, good leadership
and decision making practices, supervision, inter-personal relational practices,
decision implementation practices, communication practices and delegation of
duties practices. Also, Armstrong (2009) revealed the following management
practices as the practices required by head teachers in order to enhance
child-friendly school environment; feed-back to parents on pupils performance,
good leadership, effective communication, provision of teaching facilities,
regular supervision of instruction and delegation of duties to teachers and students.
For better understanding, this research study will be narrowed to the following
management practices of head teachers: inter-personal relationship, effective
communication, provision of teaching facilities, delegation of duties and effective
supervision.
Inter-personal relationship deals with the
ability of the head teacher to create a mutual understanding with the teachers,
students and members of the community. Kambeya (2008) opined that inter-personal
relationship entails sharing of educative and professional experience, opinion
and discussions with the teachers and the students, help, care and provision of
necessary information required for conducive learning environment to pupils and
the community. Another important management practice of head teacher is
effective communication.
Effective communication in primary school is
the act of sending and receiving information from pupils to teachers and from
teachers to school administrators. Femi (2014) opined that communication is the
process of sending information from one end (sender) to another end (receiver).
Omubele and Igbudu (2012) said that for a school to have child-friendly
environment, the means of communication must be duly observed. The scholars further
outlined the means of communication to include; written, oral, symbolic and
electronic communication processes. Provision of teaching facilities is another
vital management practice of head teachers that promotes child-friendly
environment.
Provision of teaching facilities is the
materials or equipment required in a school for effective and efficient
teaching and learning. Enebechi as cited in Nwekwesi (2009) defined teaching
facilities as objects or materials that enhance, fascinate and makes teaching
and learning real. The head teacher is expected to provide facilities such as well-equipped
classroom, visual, audio, audio/visual, text books and other materials required
for conducive learning environment. Delegation of duties is another management
practices required by head teachers to promote child-friendly environment.
Delegation of duties entails directing the
teachers and pupils on obligations to handle. Egboka (2016) described
delegation of duties as the act of encouraging teachers and pupils to take
leadership roles in some activities such as games, sanitation, agriculture, labour,
discipline, devotion, class master and class monitor. Another management
practice required of head teachers for child-friendly environment is effective
supervision.
Supervision is another management practices
that enhances child-friendly environment. Oleforo (2014) described educational
supervision as effort of all designated school officials towards providing
leadership to the teaching workforce and other educational workers in the
improvement of instructions. Modebelu (2016) defined supervision as a process
of checking, guiding and correcting teachers and pupils on duties/teaching
activities they have not performed well and also give a report to the
educational authorities on possible ways of solving such challenges facing the
school. Kohan and Hill (2011) said that supervision helps the head teachers to
note situations that are unfriendly to pupils. Good leadership is another vital
managerial practice that creates room for a healthy atmosphere in the school.
Leadership can be defined as act of controlling,
guiding and directing individuals in an organization to achieve a targeted
goal. Good leadership can be defined as a process whereby an individual
influences a group of individuals to achieve a common goal (Hull, 2012). Miller
(2009) defined good leadership of primary school heads as a process of ensuring
that pupils and teachers work together as a team in order to achieve
educational objectives. Kruse (2013) outlined some of the characteristics of
good leadership of educational administrators to include; setting high expectations
and standards, creating an optimal learning environment, improving instruction,
cultivating leadership in the school community, managing pupils, data and
processes, good relationship and passion. In order to have holistic idea of
good leadership, Wallace foundation (2013) mentioned some of the good
leadership styles required by head teachers to include; democratic, coaching,
visionary, affiliative and authoritative leadership styles.
Relating the above management practices to
head teachers in South East primary schools, it appears that head teachers do
not possess good leadership qualities, the head teachers seem not to have good
relationship with teachers, pupils and community members, the head teachers
appear to exhibit poor or ineffective communication and supervision techniques,
the head teachers seldom provide the necessary facilities required for
effective teaching and learning. This however seem to affect child-friendly
school environment.
The provision of teaching facilities is also
major factor in ensuring child-friendly school environment, in the work of
Ugbor (2010) on management practices of secondary school administrators in
Nsukka Education Zone of Enugu state, reveals that provision of teaching
facilities enhances child-friendly environment. This is important because
teaching facilities plays a major role in arousing the interest of the learner.
This shows that when these facilities are not provided, child-friendly school
environment which is necessary for conducive learning to take place is
unattainable. To the best of the researcher’s knowledge based on the review of
previous empirical studies, series of research works have been conducted on
management practices of school administrators with different variables that are
not related to child-friendly school environment in South East, Nigeria thereby
creating a gap. It is based on this premise that the present study therefore,
intends to fill the gap in knowledge of investigating management practices of
primary school heads as correlates of child-friendly school environment in
South East, Nigeria.
1.2 STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM
Ordinarily, primary schools in South East,
Nigeria should be characterized with child-friendly environment. The school is
expected to provide the necessary assistance and materials such as effective
communication, effective supervision, teaching facilities and inter-personal
relationship required for conducive environment that promotes child-friendly
school. The school should ensure that the child is protected, gain knowledge,
consider the gender of the child and make the child feel at home in school.
On the contrary, primary schools in South East,
Nigeria appear to be unfriendly to pupils due to poor or inadequate management
practices of head teachers. Majority of the head teachers in primary schools in
South East seem to have poor relationship with teachers and pupils. Head
teachers also seem not to be delegating duties to teachers and pupils. This
however appear to have drastic effect on child-friendly school environment. It
is on this note that the researcher is motivated to address the research
problem put in question form “to what extent do management practices of head
teachers relate to child-friendly school environment in primary schools in South
East.
1.3 PURPOSE OF THE STUDY
The purpose of the study was to investigate
the extent of relationship between management practices of head teachers and
child-friendly school environment in public primary schools in South East,
Nigeria. Specifically the study sought to:
1.
ascertain the extent inter-personal relationship of primary school head
teachers relate to child-friendly school environment
2.
determine the extent effective communication of primary school head
teachers relate to child-friendly school environment.
3.
examine the extent provision of teaching facilities by primary school
head teachers relate to child-friendly school environment
4.
determine the extent delegation of duties by primary school head
teachers relate to child-friendly school environment
5.
ascertain the extent supervision by primary school head teachers relate
to child-friendly school environment.
6.
find out the extent good leadership practices of head teachers relate to
child-friendly school environment.
1.4 RESEARCH QUESTIONS
The following research question guided the
study.
1.
To what extent does inter-personal relationship of primary school head
teachers relate to child-friendly school environment?
2.
To what extent does communication of primary school head teachers do
relate to child-friendly school environment?
3.
To what extent does provision of teaching facilities by primary school
head teachers relate to child-friendly school environment?
4.
To what extent does delegation of duties by primary school head teachers
relate to child-friendly school environment?
5.
To what extent does supervision by primary school head teachers relate
to child-friendly school environment?
6.
To what extent does good leadership practices of head teachers relate to
child-friendly school environment?
1.5 HYPOTHESES
The following null hypotheses were postulated
to guide the study and were tested at 0.05 level of significant.
H01: There
is no significant relationship between inter-personal relationship of primary
school head and child-friendly school environment
H02: There
is no significant relationship between communication of primary school heads
and child-friendly school environment
H03: Provision
of teaching facilities by primary school head teachers does not significantly
relate to child-friendly school environment
H04: Delegation
of duties by primary school head teachers does not significantly relate to
child-friendly school environment
H05: Supervision
by primary school head teachers does not significantly relate to child-friendly
school environment
H06: Good
leadership practices of head teachers does not significantly relate to
child-friendly school environment
1.6 SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY
The
results of this study have both theoretical and practical significance.
Theoretically, interpersonal theory which described and predicted dynamic
interactions between individuals focused on control and affliction. Control
represents the degree of influence that one person applies to the partner in
the interaction, with dominance at one end of the dimension and submissiveness
at the other. Affliction describes the degree of emotional immediacy, warmth
and support in the interaction, and ranges from friendliness to hostility.
The practical significance of the study would
benefit the following: Ministry of Education, Local Government Education
Authority, Head Teachers, Pupils, and Communities.
The findings of this study will help the ministry of
education to sensitize the Head Teachers on the need to create child- friendly
school environment by adapting their leadership styles to the needs of
individual learner and carrying the teachers along when making their decisions,
through conferences, seminars and workshops.
The findings of this study may reveal to the Head teachers
how their overall action determines the outcome of the Educational program in
the school, through personal research, seminars and workshops organize by the
Ministry of Education.
The findings of will also expose the pupils to know the
important roles of the Head teachers in the school system, through seminars
organized by the school Management.
To the communities, this study will help them understand
the important role of the Head teacher in ensuring child-friendly environment
and support the decisions of the Head teacher in achieving this goal in the
school, through seminars organized by the school.
1.7 SCOPE OF THE STUDY
The study is delimited to all public primary
schools in the five states which make up South East, Nigeria with concentration
on 5,714 primary school head-teachers and 15,451 primary six pupils in public
primary schools in the five states in South East, Nigeria (i.e. Abia, Anambra,
Ebonyi, Enugu and Imo).
The study also focused on management practices
of head teachers as correlate of child-friendly school environment in public
primary schools in South East, Nigeria. It specifically covered management
practices of head teachers as independent variables with these sub-variables;
inter-personal relationship, communication, good leadership, provision of
teaching facilities, delegation of duties and supervision which form the objectives
of the study. It also covered child-friendly school environment as the
dependent variable with sub-variables such as. Child inclusive, child centered
orientation, child protection and child acquisition of knowledge.
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