MANAGEMET COMPETENCY NEEDS OF PRINCIPALS FOR EFFECTIVE ADMINISTRATION IN ANAMBRA STATE PUBLIC SECONDARY SCHOOLS

Abstract

The study investigated management competency needs of Principals for effective administration in Anambra State public secondary schools. Four research questions and four null hypotheses guided this study. Descriptive survey design was adopted for the study. Total population of the study was 262 principals in public secondary schools in Anambra State. The sample for the study comprised 262 principals of Anambra State public secondary schools. There was no need for sampling technique because the whole population was used. The 57 items structured management competency questionnaire was developed by researcher and used for the study. Three experts validated the instrument. The data collected were analyzed using mean and standard deviation to answer the research questions, while the null hypotheses were tested at .05 level of significance using t-test statistics of non-correlated or independent data. The study focused on four aspects of management competency strategies: the instructional leadership, personnel, financial and human capacity building. The study sought for the effect of urban and rural setting in the administrative effectiveness of principals. Thus, the mean ratings of urban and rural principals as it affects the four aspects of management competency stated above were sought out.

The study found out that some instructional leadership and personnel management competency are needed tools for effective administration in Anambra State public secondary schools. Likewise, all financial and capacity building management competency are highly needed for effective administration in the public secondary schools in Anambra State. More so, there is no significant difference between the mean rating of urban and rural principals. Thus, the study recommended that government should make available instructional leadership materials to enable the principals perform well in their administrative work, organize workshops and seminars for them. Meanwhile, the various levels of government and non- governmental agencies should make education their top priority. For the principals, teamwork, motivation and effective communication should be their guiding principles in discharging their jobs.