In Nigeria today, there is an increasing public fear and complaints that the administrative effectiveness of the principals is jeopardizing. Thus, this need be
proved beyond public speculations through empirical studies. The falling standard of education over the years may not be unconnected with the influence of increase enrolment on the students’ academic performance which is the parameters to measure principals’ administrative effectiveness (Muraina, 2006).
According to Okorie (2000) and Adesina (1990) were of the view that leadership is the activity of influencing people to strive willingly for goal achievements. This implies that the principals as leaders should have the ability to inspire members of the school community to work together for the achievement of goals. Leadership is getting the job done through people. It is obvious that no leader can succeed without a clear vision of where he is going.
Therefore, a school principal must function in various capacities ranging from the instructional leadership to students guidance and management of school facilities. The attitude of a good principal is when he contributes to the formulation and attainment of school goals, when he has good human relation and staff discipline, which are the yardsticks for measuring his administrative effectiveness. It is in the light of the above that the researcher deems it fit to examine the relationship between principals’ managerial skills and their administrative effectiveness.
Palsey (2003) in his research on thinking about school as organization conclude that organization may be said to exist, therefore, when there are people with an ability to communicate, willingness to contribute and who have aims and purpose in common. To explain the influence of communication skill on administrative effectiveness of principals therefore, Scott and Mitchell (1996) mention four (4) major functions of communication as follows:
i. Communication gives employees the opportunity of expressing their feelings and also serves as medium of resolution conflicts, reducing tension and refining direction for individuals.
ii. It serves motivational function of encouraging achievement in subordinates.
iii. It provides the necessary information for decision making.
iv. It is used to control the activities in an organization (school)
Therefore, a school principal must function in various capacities ranging from the instructional leadership to students guidance and management of school facilities. The attitude of a good principal is when he contributes to the formulation and attainment of school goals, when he has good human relation and staff discipline, which are the yardsticks for measuring his administrative effectiveness. It is in the light of the above that the researcher deems it fit to examine the relationship between principals’ managerial skills and their administrative effectiveness.
OPERATION AND MANAGEMENT OF SECONDARY SCHOOL
(Basic Consideration in Senior Secondary School Management)
A general notion is that nobody is a finished product no matter the level of education. To be a life- long learner is a virtue humans must cultivate, so a teacher or teacher of teachers. To be accountable is to accept responsibility for one’s job or role. The training of teachers for the society is important enough for teacher educators to personally feel or be held accountable. That does not seems to be happening otherwise the educational challenges would not be as serious as they are now. Research findings have hardly influenced the method of teaching, the curriculum or supervision of their students (Nwaboku, 2016).
There must be both intrinsic and extrinsic accountability. The former implies self- commitment which should propel an individual to do his best at all times while the latter involves external motivation in form of adequate support from the Government. The failure to do that is partly the reason why Government cannot demand accountability from teachers and the institutions (Ijaiya, 2016).The number of students a teacher has to handle is one of the factors that determines his/her success (Nwaboku, 2016). A British study found out that workload is one of the reasons a teacher leave the profession(Smithers& Robinson,2015).Teaching demands might be one of the reasons why the profession is not attractive to many secondary school students(Ijaiya,2015).
