COMMUNICATION STRATEGIES AS CORRELATES OF EFFECTIVE MANAGEMENT OF SECONDARY SCHOOLS IN SOUTH EAST, NIGERIA

Abstract

This study investigated communication strategies as correlate of effective management of secondary schools in South East, Nigeria. The study adopted a correlational research design. A sample of 727 respondents was used for the study. This consists of 394 public secondary school teachers and 333 principals from the sampled states (Abia, Enugu and Imo States). The sample size of the study was determined using Taro Yamane Formula for determining sample size. The multi-stage sampling approach was used in sampling the states, education zones and local governments used for the study. The instruments for data collection were communication strategies questionnaire (CSQ) and effective management questionnaire (EMQ). The instruments were validated by three experts. The reliability of the instrument was determined using Pearson Product Moment Correlation with a coefficient of 0.87 and 0.82 for communication strategies questionnaire (CSQ) and effective management questionnaire (EMQ) respectively while the internal consistency was determined using Cronbach Alpha statistic which yielded reliability coefficient of 0.85 and 0.81 for CSQ and EMQ respectively. Pearson’s Product Moment Correlation Coefficient was used to answer the two research questions raised for the study while linear regression was used to test the corresponding null hypotheses formulated and tested at 0.05 level of significance. The results showed that open, and inclusive strategies had positive and significant relationship with effective management of secondary schools in South East, Nigeria. Based on the findings of the study, it was recommended among others that the Ministry of Education should strengthen the monitoring and evaluation aspect to ensure that the head teachers are executing their mandate as required by law and that efforts should be made to ensure that there is total adherence to set communication standards and practices among others.