ABSTRACT
This study examined communication patterns and administrative performance of principals in secondary schools in Okigwe Education Zone. The study employed descriptive design. Five research questions and three null hypotheses guided the study. The population of the study comprised all the 29 principals and 343 teachers of state secondary schools in the area of the study. No sampling was used due to the small size of the population. Questionnaire titled Communication Patterns and Principals Administrative Performance Questionnaire (CPPAPQ) was used as instrument for data collection. Mean and Standard Deviation were used to answer the research questions, while z-test statistics was used to test the null hypotheses at 0.05 level of significance. The result of the study among others showed that horizontal communication pattern influences administrative performance of principals in secondary schools to a low extent. Also, upward communication pattern influences administrative performance of principals in secondary schools to a great extent. The study among others recommended that the school principals should endeavour at all times to engage teachers in decision making process, so as to receive useful contributions and ideas for administrative improvement. All Nigeria Conference of Principals of Secondary School (ANCOPS) should regularly organize seminars, workshops, and conferences for principals, where they will be taught the tenets of interpersonal relationship and conflict resolution.
CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
Background of the study
There is a growing concern about the deteriorating performance of principals in school administration. Indeed, over the last few decades or so, number of research in educational administration, worldwide, have focused their research activities on identifying ways and means of reversing the deteriorating performance of principals in school administration (Snow, 2001). Performance in school however does not come by chance, as their success to some extent depends on the heads of such schools. It is believed that the level of interaction and communication of the principal is significantly related to the administrative performance of the school principal.
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Administration is an essential element and is at the heart of every school organization. The successes and failures of educational programmes are determined, to a large extent, by the way and manner people work together as members of the education enterprise. Administration according to Okeke (2007) borders on harnessing people, time, and material. Administrative performance on the other implies an action considered in relation to how well or badly an administrator has done or executed a task (Hornby, 2010). In educational system, administrative performance means how successful the school administrator has attained goals and objectives and it is measured by the administrator’s flair in development and implementation of educational programmes of the school, procurement of staff, provision of facilities, keeping of school records including records of school fund as well as creating a conducive teaching and learning atmosphere in school.
In the Nigerian secondary school system especially in Okigwe Education Zone one, there have been complaints about the poor performance of principals in most of the secondary schools. These complaints against the principals include; taking of decisions without involving the teachers, non involvement of teachers in policy making and not informing the teachers about the school affairs. Evidence available in literature has it that principals are often accused of being nice to those they like and unduly harsh to those they dislike; and most often, being accused of not informing the teachers about school affairs (Okunamiri and Ndom-uchedu, 2011). Okunamiri and Ndom-uchedu (2011) further stated that teachers on their own side, exhibit non-commitment to effective teaching and learning, lack sense of belonging, feel nonchalant towards what happens in the school, lack interest in extracurricular activities, lack co-operation which at times, results in some teachers flouting the principal’s order, and inciting the students against the principal.
In view of this, Eboungwu (2002) noted that misunderstanding usually erupts between the principal and the staff who hold widely divergent views on issues bothering on learning process. Eboungwu (2002) also noted that teachers put little or no effort in executing their duties such as not preparing their lesson notes, not giving or marking assignment, lateness to school, absenteeism, truancy and unwillingness to co-operate with the principal which in certain cases culminates in factions within the school, namely, the principal and his faction and the faction of the disagreeing staff members. This ugly situation above is unhealthy for any educational system as it results in low commitment to effective teaching and learning and lackluster performance in school administration.
In most schools especially public secondary schools, not a day passes without some media reports of either failure in one administrative practice or the other among principals and other issues reflecting the unsatisfactory state of our schools. In light of the above statement, Nwatu (2006) says that many principals are now uninspiring, myopic, self-servicing, irrespective and generally incredible in discharging their administrative duties. A situation of this nature may lead to frustration and sagging morals of teachers, while the attainment of National Policy on Education goals could be at the lowest ebb.
Stressing the need for harmonious, interactive, and integrated co-existence of principals, teachers, and students in the school, for learning to be achieved, Ndu, Ocho & Okeke (1997) assert that communication that is not effective has been shown to be a source of school administrators’ failure. Lunenburg and Ornstein (2008) in their own studies reported that a good understanding of the communication patterns could lead to improved performance in school administration. According to them, communication patterns interlinks with most of the processes that take place in school districts, such as planning, organizing, staffing, directing, coordinating, and reporting.
Every human organization exists to achieve an objective. For this purpose to be achieved, roles to be played must be assigned to the individual members of the organization. In the process of playing such roles, one form of interaction or the other must exist among members. How healthy the interaction will be depends on the patterns of communication in the organization. Hence, communication lies at the centre of the organizational structure. According to Weihrich and Koontz (2005), communication is the transfer of information from a sender to a receiver, with the information being understood by the receiver. On the other hand, communication patterns are a number of possible distinct directions of communication flow within a school; downward, upward, horizontal, diagonal and grapevine (Peretemode, 2003). This implies that in any form of communication process in school, meanings and messages are conveyed through a pattern. The present study will examine the extent to which communication patterns influence administrative performance of secondary school principals in Okigwe Education Zone one.
One of the patterns considered in school administration is downward communication pattern. It is a type of communication pattern that moves from the head to the subordinates in the form of instruction, order, warnings and direction. In this study, it is a process whereby directives flow from principal to vice–principals and through the channel to teachers, students and parents. As stipulated by Obi (2003), there tends to be a negative influence between downward communication pattern and the administrative performance of principals. In the light of this assertion, too much of downward communication without corresponding upward equivalent is a sign of dictatorship, but when the principal properly integrate the downward pattern of communication with other patterns, it can ensure proper coordination and organization of school activities.
Upward communication is also a very important pattern. In the words of Hicks (1992), upward pattern of communication increases school effectiveness because of its significant relationship that is between the leader and the led. In line with Hicks’ opinion, entrenchment of this pattern can serve as an instrument of administrative control. Through this pattern, teachers and other school staff can convey to the principal their grievances, views, opinions and information, on issue that concerns them. Neglect of it in the school could block the necessary feedback from the subordinates, thereby insidiously affecting the reports of teachers’ activities as regards their achievement, progress and future plans. In this work, upward communication refers to the process whereby information flows from the teachers, students, non-tutorial staff and parents to the principal within the school.
Horizontal (lateral) communication is another pattern to consider in the issue of enhancing administrative performance. Ajayi (1995) commented that lateral pattern of communication has a very strong positive influence and most easily understood in school administration. Based on this comment, to ensure team-teaching, cooperative problem solving, share of expertise and information, conflict resolution, and building rapport with colleagues, horizontal pattern of communication is of utmost importance. In this study, horizontal communication refers to the process of communication among peers within the same group, i.e. information flow between principal to principal, teacher to teacher, student to student, and between colleagues in the same category in an office or classroom
When discussing communication patterns, diagonal pattern of communication should be brought to mind as well. This is because the flow of communication could be diagonal rather than vertical (downward and upward). The principals could use this pattern as a veritable tool to break protocols in order to secure the prerequisite information for smooth coordination of the school programmes. In this study, diagonal communication implies the process whereby communication flows from the principal to school security-man, teachers to school bursar, school librarian to store officer, rather than going through the downward or upward patterns.
The grapevine is the unofficial communication system made up of a network of gossip, procrastination and rumour. The grapevine is faster, is about 75 percent accurate and people tend to rely on it when there is paucity of information or in times of rapid changes (Nwofia, 2010). Therefore, its influence could be healthy to the school administration since it is fast in transmitting vital information in the school and could serve as last resort in the time of emergency. Consequently, this study aimed at investigating the extent to which the above communication patterns contribute to administrative performance of principals in Okigwe Education Zone one with a view to making recommendation on the more effective way of utilizing these patterns of communication that would enhance administrative performance of principals in secondary schools system in the area of study.
