INTRODUCTION
Background of the Study
As Nigeria aspires to attain high level in the social, political, economic and technological spheres through a well articulated and functional system of education, it is believed that these objectives cannot be realized without considerable improvement in the present students’ performance in Senior School Certificate Examinations (SSCE). From personal experiences, efficient and effective administration of secondary schools is the hub around which the wheel of this attainment revolves. To achieve efficient and effective administration of secondary schools, appraisal of principals’ roles in student personnel administration is very important.
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Appraisal, can be defined as the systematic collection of information about the activities, characteristics and outcomes of programmes, personnel and products for use by specific people to reduce uncertainties, improve effectiveness and make decisions with regard to what these programs, personnel or products are doing (Martinez, 2005). Online Free Dictionary (2009), defined appraisal as an act of assessing something or someone. From the above point of view, appraisal in this study is an impartial analysis and evaluation established according to established
criteria to determine the roles of an agency or an individual. Appraising the roles of principals in this study will help to achieve the goals and objectives of secondary school education in Nigeria.
Principal may be defined as somebody who hold a position of presiding rank especially, the head of an elementary school or high school (Answers. Com.,2009). Ogbonnaya (2004) defined principal as the executive head of secondary schools in Nigeria. Akubue (1991), stated that the principal is in charge and directs the major functions of the school operations namely; teaching, special students services management, administrative and supervisory functions. Ojo (2008), refers to principal as the leader of the staff and students. Principal in this study is the head of secondary school administration.
Secondary school education has been defined as the form of education children receive after primary education and before the tertiary stage (FRN, 2004). The American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language (2009), defined secondary school education as an intermediate school between elementary school and college and that usually offers general, technical, vocational, or college-preparatory curricular. Secondary school education in this study is an educational institution where the second stage of schooling takes place. One of the broad aims of secondary education according to National Policy on Education for Nigeria is to raise a generation of people who can think for themselves, respect the dignity of labour, and appreciate those values specified under our broad national goals and live as good citizens, (FRN, 2004).
Therefore, the Nigeria philosophy of education is based on the development of the child into a sound and effective citizen, and full integration of the individual into the community (FRN, 2004). This implies the development of the learner, on graduation, as he takes his place in the society and contributes to its survival. For the schools to successfully achieve this all-round development of the learner, it has to perform a number of students’ oriented functions, some academic and some administrative function.
However, Hornby (1998), refers to a student as a person who is studying at a College, Polytechnic or University, a boy or a girl, attending school and anyone who studies or who is devoted to acquisition of knowledge. Oboegbulem (2007), defined a student as that person in any post primary school or tertiary institution who aims at obtaining a certificate at the end of his or her stay in the institution. For the purpose of this study, a student is a person who is studying at a secondary school. For a student to have effective education, there must be the provision of effective personnel services.
Personnel can be defined as the total manpower or human resources in an organization or institution (Mgbodile, 2004). Arikewuyo (2006), defined personnel as the total staff recruited and employed by an organization and their activities in the organization which bring about the organizational growth and development. For the purpose of this study, personnel refers to the total number of staff (both tutorial and non tutorial) working in the secondary school. To achieve effective personnel services in secondary schools, there must be effective administration.
Administration can be defined as a set of activities which can be classified as concerned with planning, organizing or controlling. It is the job of getting things done through people (Peretemode, 2003). Nwachukwu (1998), defined administration as the co-ordination of all resources of an organization through the process of planning, organizing, directing and controlling in order to attain organizational objectives. Ocho (1997), noted that administration is principally concerned with decision making, planning, organizing, communicating, co-ordinating, implementation of policy, and evaluating projects and programmes of result. For the purpose of this study, administration refers to the planning, organizing, directing and controlling of those activities which the secondary school system perform. Effective administration will bring about effective student-personnel administration in secondary schools.
Student -personnel administration can be defined as all the activities and services, apart from normal classroom instructions, rendered to students by the Principal, staff, the students themselves, and even the community that are geared towards making an individual in the school an all –round educated, law-abiding citizen of his community (Oboegbulem, 2004). It involves guiding and supervising students in whatever they do, so that the objectives of the school will be achieved. Oboegbulem further stated that since education consist of the guidance of children and youth in the activities of living and learning, the administration of secondary schools should be geared towards achieving the objectives of educating the students to become useful and respected citizens. In keeping with the above statement, student-personnel administration should aim at achieving the following basic educational objectives at the secondary school level:
To make the students think effectively, to help them communicate their thoughts clearly, to help them develop the skills of making relevant judgments, to help them play their parts as useful members of their homes and families, to make the students understand basic facts about health and sanitation, to help the students understand and appreciate their roles as citizens of Nigeria, to help the students develop good moral principles, to help the students understand and appreciate their cultural heritage, to make them recognize the dignity of labour (Oboegbulem, 2004: 165).
To achieve these noble objectives, the administrator should see that the students are at the centre of the educational process. All the activities in the school should aim at developing the child’s personality to the fullest. The school should provide good instructional programmes and opportunities for the students to develop responsible attitudes and good moral training which will prepare them for future life (Oboegbulem, 2004).
