Leadership patterns as correlate of effective administration of public secondary schools In Abia State, Nigeria

The study focused on leadership patterns as correlate of effective administration of public secondary schools in Abia State. The study was necessitated by the need to examine what could lead to effective administration of public secondary schools by principals. In an attempt to provide empirical solution to address this need, there was need to investigate the leadership patterns adopted by school principals. Five specific objectives of the study and five research questions guided the study with five hypotheses tested at 0.05 level of significance. The design of the study was correlational survey research design. The population of the study was 4,478 teachers while the sample size was 354 obtained using Krejcie and Morgan table for estimating sample size at a sampling fraction of .095. The instruments for data collection were structured questionnaire with 32 items for questionnaire A and15 items for questionnaire B. The instruments were face and content validated by three research experts. The internal consistency index value of the instrument was .78. Data collected from the respondents were analyzed using Pearson’s Product Moment Correlation Coefficient for all the research questions while the linear regression statistics was used to test the hypotheses at .05 level of significance. The study revealed that to a high extent, democratic, charismatic and situational leadership patterns correlate with effective secondary school administration. The study also revealed that to a low extent, autocratic and laissez-faire leadership patterns correlate with effective secondary school administration. Based on the findings, the following recommendations were made; democratic, charismatic and situational leadership patterns should be used by administrators, since the needs and interest of followers are considered when making decision. Also, Administrator should learn to adopt leadership pattern that suits the environment and issue at hand for effective school administration. This will help to maintain peace and create a conducive working environment that will enhance teachers’ job performance and students’ academic achievement in secondary schools in Abia State.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Title Page                                                                                                                                i

Declaration                                                                                                                              ii

Certification                                                                                                                            iii

Dedication                                                                                                                              iv

Acknowledgements                                                                                                                v

Table of Content                                                                                                                     vi

List of Tables                                                                                                                          vii

Abstract                                                                                                                                  viii

CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION 

1.1       Background to the Study                                                                                           1

1.2       Statement of the Problem                                                                                           8

1.3       Purpose of the Study                                                                                                  9

1.4       Research Questions                                                                                                     9

1.5       Hypotheses                                                                                                                 10

1.6       Significance of the Study                                                                                           11

1.7       Scope of the Study                                                                                                     13

CHAPTER 2: REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE         

2.1 Conceptual Framework                                                                                                     14

2.1.1 Concept of leadership                                                                                                    14

2.1.2 Leadership pattern                                                                                                         17

2.1.3 Concept of administration                                                                                             26

2.1.4 Constituents of administration effectiveness                                                                30

2.1.5 Principals’ leadership pattern and school administration                                               32

2.1.6 The Role of leadership pattern on principals’ administration effectiveness                  36

2.2 Theoretical Framework                                                                                                     39

2.2.1    Fiedler’s contingency theory of leadership effectiveness (1967)                               39

2.2.2    The human relations theory by M. D. Doomsday (1956)                                           41

2.3       Empirical Studies                                                                                                        42

2.4       Summary of Review of Related Literature                                                                50

CHAPTER 3: METHODOLOGY 

3.1        Design of the Study                                                                                                   52

3.2       Area of the Study                                                                                                       52

3.3       Population for the Study                                                                                            53

3.4       Sample and Sampling Techniques                                                                              53

3.5       Instrument for Data Collection                                                                                   54

3.6       Validation of the Instrument                                                                                      55

3.7       Reliability of the Instrument                                                                                       55

3.8.      Method of Data Collection                                                                                         56

3.9       Method of Data Analysis                                                                                           56

CHAPTER 4: RESULTS AND DISCUSSION   

4.1 Result                                                                                                                                57

4.2 Summary of the Findings                                                                                                 66

Discussion of the Findings                                                                                                     67

CHAPTER 5: SUMMARY, CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATIONS

5.1       Summary of the Study                                                                                                71

5.2       Conclusion                                                                                                                  72

5.3       Educational Implications of the Study                                                                       73

5.4       Recommendations                                                                                                      73

5.5       Limitations of the Study                                                                                             74

5.6       Suggestions for Further Studies                                                                                 74

            References                                                                                                                  75

            Appendices                                                                                                                 79