ABSTRACT

This work investigated principals’motivational strategies as correlates of teachers’ work attitude and effectiveness in South East, Nigeria. Eight research questions were raised and answered and eight hypotheses were pose and tested at 0.05 level of significance. Relevant related literatures were reviewed under conceptual framework, theoretical framework and empirical studies. The design of the study was a correlational research design. The population of the study was 29,445 principals and teachers. A sample size of 678 respondents was drawn from 333 public secondary schools from the total of 1312 in the five south east states using multi-stage sampling technique precisely proportionate stratified-simple random sampling techniques. Three structured questionnaire instruments were constructed to address the three variables in the work. The instruments are Principals’ Motivational Strategy Questionnaire (PMSQ), Teachers’ Work Attitude Questionnaire (TWA), Teachers’ Effectiveness Questionnaire (TEQ).  Trial tested method and test–retest method was used to establishthe validity of the instruments. Cronbach Alpha method and Pearson Product Moment Correlation Coefficient Statistic were used to correlate the test which yielded indices of 0.81(PMSQ), 0.83(TWA) and 0.85(TEQ) showing the reliability of the instruments. The data collectedthrough the administration of the instruments were analyzed using Pearson Product Moment Correlationto answer research questions and Simple Linear Regression to test the null hypotheses at 0.05 level of significance. The results among others revealed that principals’ leadership motivational strategy correlate to teachers’ work attitude in public secondary schools to a positive high extent and that there was a significant relationship between principals’ leadership motivational strategy and teachers’ work attitude in public secondary schools, that principal’s reward system motivational strategy correlate to teachers’ work attitude in secondary schools to a positive high extent and that principals’ reward system motivational strategy significantly relate to teachers work attitude in public secondary schools, that principals’ achievement recognition motivational strategy correlate to teachers’ work attitude in public secondary schools to a positive high extent and that there was a significant relationship between the principals’ achievement recognition motivational strategy and teachers’ work attitude in public secondary school. Recommendations were also made which are that government should through the ministry of education organize workshop/seminars on teacher motivation and leadership styles for school administrators, teachers should cooperate with principals to achieve good organizational climate in the school. Parents and guardians should voluntarily contribute towards provision of teacher motivational facilities in the schools.