ABSTRACT

The study investigates problems militating against secondary school administration in Esan North East Local Government Area of Edo State. The work was guided by five researcher questions. A researcher structured questionnaire of 22 items was used for data collection. The population of the study consists of all the secondary schools in the study area. Questionnaire was administered to 4 selected secondary schools in Esan North East Local Government Area. The data collected were analyzed using simple percentage. The study found out those inadequate staff personnel, finances, physical facilities/equipment, poor school community relation and indiscipline among students are major problems effecting secondary school administration in Esan North East Local Government Area. The study recommended that government through it appropriate agencies should recruit more teachers, provide more funds and physical equipment as well as a liaise with the school in curbing the increasing cases of indiscipline in secondary schools

TABLE OF CONTENTS

CHAPTER ONE 

Background to the study

Statement of the problem

Purpose of the study

Significant of the study

Scope of the study

Research question

Limitation

Definition of terms

CHAPTER TWO        

Review of literature

The concept of administration

School staff personnel

School funds/finances and equipment

School community relation

Indiscipline among students

Summary of literature review

CHAPTER THREE

Research methodology

Design of the study

Population of the study

Sample and sampling technique

Research instrument

Validity and reliability

Method of data collection

Method of analysis

CHAPTER FOUR

Data presentation and analysis

Discussion of result

CHAPTER FIVE

Summary

Conclusion

Recommendation

REFERENCES  

QUESTIONNAIRE

CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY

          The principal of a school is both the teachers and administrator of the school. Edem (1998) described the principal as a leader who is endowed with authority to influence the activities, behaviour, beliefs, and feelings of his staff and students and who expects their willing co-operation. The principal ensure that the school is life to it responsibilities. This is why Ozigi (1997) opined that the school work revolves around the administrator, the school reputation depends on him, and he can make or spoil the school because the school projects are his own image. There in no doubt that the principal occupy prime position in the school system. The position of the principal also demand that the occupier must possess good qualities which among other things include dedication to duty visionary, honesty, emerge tic, mental alertness, understanding and intelligent.

          In our secondary school system, many principals do not possess these stalling qualities either because they were not well trained or were appointed due to situational problem which are sometimes presented as “Nigerian factor.” This factor explains why one school performs extraordinary better than the other in major school activities. It is on this note that Griffith (2000) opined that school administrators by virtue of their positions are leaders and the quality of their leadership determine.

          Some people are of the opinion that principals lack the ability to work towards the achievement of the stated goals of education of their school level and this has been attributed to the cause of the decline in the standard of education a speculated by various mass media. Many studies have show that the implementation of major school policies and programmes depend largely on the principal’s administrative capabilities and other factors which study intends to undo.

STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM 

           Parent and various mass media within and outside Nigeria have complained severally about the gradual decline in standard of education in the country as a whole and Edo State in particular. Hey attribute the ugly and   scenario to indiscipline among teachers and students, government insensitivity, incompetent. School heads, negligence to duty on part of parents and teachers, inadequate funds, personnel, school facilities and infrastructure etc. it is on the strength of these speculation that this research project sought to find out the problems facing administration of secondary school in Esan North East Local Government Area of Edo State. To a large extent their success or failure, principal perform both administrative and supervisory duties in their schools and because of their strategic duties, they face numerous problem. Ezeocha (1992) identified examination malpractice, dropout from schools immorality and general fall in the standard of education as problem surrounding school head in their administrative leadership roles. He also reported that lack of effective leadership coordination and control, structural organizational inadequacies including over centralization of authority as problem facing the Nigeria educational system. A situation where he principal must approach the school board or ministry of education for most school of the school need undermines his initiative and creativity, it also causes the principal to move away from his school most of the time there by giving room for beak-down of major school activities.

          Principals are also not given free hand to use their school finances to run the schools. This account for why must secondary school needs is never met.

          Observed that school leader do not make policy statements, by which decision and other administrative action can be taken promptly in the secondary school system.

          It is the principal that translate the education policies, laws and regulations into practical realities. Unfortunately most of them are incompetent because they were in the position as a result of years of experience without requisite professional training.

PURPOSE OF THE STUDY           

          This purpose of this project is to find out the problems militating against secondary school administration in Esan North East Local Government Area of Edo State.

SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY

          The findings of this study will be of immense benefits to the government, school administrators, principals, parents, students and the society at large the information provided by this will assist government through its appropriate agencies in formulation of policies and programmes   that will help to improved the condition that pose problems to schools principals in their administrative functions.

          School administrators especially the beginners will utilize the findings of this work to increase their awareness on the possible areas of problems in the administration of secondary school. Here it serve as both preventive and corrective measures to the intending and practicing school principals for the full realization of the objective of secondary education, parents will be informed through the findings of this study on their roles towards assisting secondary school administrators to overcome the problems they may face in the process of performing their duties as principals.

          The information provided by this work will serve as references materials to students and researchers as well as bases for further research. The findings of this study will be eye opener to the society at large and all the stake holders of the education industry so as to contribute their quality in laying solid foundation in terms of quality education at the secondary level of education knowing fully well that it is the basis of ensuring a guaranteed future for our youths.

RESEARCH QUESTIONS

          The following research questions were formulated to guide the study

1.     How do inadequate school personnel constitute a problem in secondary school administration Esan North East Local Government Area of Edo State?  

2.     How does inadequate funds pose problem in secondary school administration in Esan North East Local Government Area?

3.     How does inadequate physical facilities/equipments in Esan North East Local Government Area?

4.     How does a school community relation pose a problem in secondary school administration in Esan North East Local Government Area?

5.     How do student disciplinary problems effect secondary school administration in Esan North East Local Government Area?

SCOPE OF THE STUDY

          This research is primarily concerned with finding out the problems militating against secondary school administration in Esan North East Local Government Area of Edo State. All the major administrative areas of the school, such as school personnel, school funds, physical facilities/equipment, school community relation and school discipline were examined with the view of finding out how they challenge the principals in administering secondary schools.

DEFINITION OF TERMS

Administered: This can be defined the activities that are done in order to plan organize and run a school or other institution.

Administrator: This is referred to a person whose job is to manage and organize the affairs of an institution.

Militate: This means prevention of something, that is, to make it difficult for something to happen or exist.

Secondary school: This referred to s school for the young people the age of 11 and 16 or 18.

Principal: A principal is a person who is in charge of a college. He is seen as the head of the school