PRINCIPALS’ ADMINISTRATIVE SKILLSAS CORRELATES OF TEACHERS’ JOB ENGAGEMENT IN PUBLIC SECONDARY SCHOOLS IN ANAMBRA STATE

Abstract

Principals' administrative skills are crucial for enhancing teachers' job engagement. The application of different administrative skills invariably improves productivity which in turn would influence the achievement of educational objectives. The study examined principals’ administrative skills as correlates of teachers’ job engagement in public secondary schools in Anambra State. Two research questions guided the study and two null hypotheses were tested at 0.05 level of significance. The study adopted correlational research design. The population of the study comprised 12,080 teachers in public secondary schools in six Education Zones in Anambra State. The sample size for the study was 604 teachers drawn from the population of the study. Multi-stage sampling procedure was used for the study. The instruments for data collection were a researcher-structured questionnaire titled: Principals’ Administrative Skills Questionnaire (PASQ), and Teachers’ Job Engagement Questionnaire (TJEQ). The reliability of the instrument was determined using Cronbach Alpha Coefficient method and the average coefficient of 0.81 for PASQ; and TJEQ is 0.90. The data were analyzed using Pearson Product Moment Correlation Coefficient. The study revealed that principals’ instructional leadership skill (r = 0. 908; p < 0.000), and principals’ personnel management skill (r = 0. 873; p < 0.000) positively and significantly related to teachers’ job engagement in public secondary schools in Anambra State. The study concluded that principals’ administrative skills positively and significantly relate to teachers’ job engagement in public secondary schools in Anambra State. The study recommended among others that the Ministry of Education should consistently enforce comprehensive professional development programmes to enhance principals' instructional leadership skills.