IMPACT OF PRINCIPALS’ MANAGERIAL ROLE PERFORMANCES ON TEACHING AND LEARNING OF ECONOMICS IN SECONDARY SCHOOLS IN GOMBE CITY, GOMBE STATE, NIGERIA  

ABSTRACT

This study assessed the Impact of Principal‘s Supervisory Role Performances on Teaching and Learning of Economics in Secondary Schools in Gombe Metropolis, Gombe State, Nigeria. The study was carried out with five research objectives among others are; to assess the impact of principal‘s supervisory role of teacher‘s lesson plan on teaching and learning of economics in secondary schools in Gombe metropolis, to assess the impact of principal‘s supervisory role of teacher‘s punctuality on teaching and learning of economics in secondary schools in Gombe metropolis. Alsofive research questions and five null hypotheses were raised for the study. The population of the study was 1021 respondents, comprises 17 principals and 1004 secondary school teachers in Gombe metropolis. A sample of 279 respondents (17 principals and 262 teachers) was selected using proportionate random sampling techniques. Survey design was adopted for the study and a structured questionnaire with a five-point Likert scale titled Impact of Principals Supervisory Role Performance Questionnaire (IPSRPQ) was used for data collection.The Questionnaire was validated by professionals in the Department of Educational Foundations and Curriculum, Faculty of Education, Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria. Pilot study was carried out in Gombe North Senatorial District with thirty (30) secondary school teachers and six (6) Secondary schools principals. The data for the pilot study were analyzed using split halve method of reliability and Cronbach‘s Alpha was used to compute the reliability coefficient where 0.87 reliability coefficient was obtained.The bio data of the respondents were analyzed using simple percentage and frequency while descriptive statistics (mean score and standard deviation) was used to answer the research questions and t-test analysis was used to test all null hypotheses at 5% (p < 0.05) significant level. The findings revealed a significant difference in the opinion of principals and secondary school teachers on the impact of principal‘s supervisory role performances on teaching and learning of economics in secondary schools in Gombe metropolis. It was concluded that principals‘ supervisory roles of teacher‘s lesson plan, scheme of work, instructional materials, classroom visitaion and teacher‘s punctuality promote teaching and learning of Economics in secondary schools in Gombe metropolis. Based on the findings, it was recommended among others that school administration through the principal should ensure full participation of teachers in the policy making and adequate preparation of lesson plan for effective teaching and learning of economics in secondary schools. Principals should be well equipped with the necessary skills on their supervisory role to enable them improve punctuality of teachers and reduce the rate of absenteeism among teachers and students.

CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

1.1        Background to the Study

The importance of principals‘ supervisory role performance of secondary school in today‘s educational system cannot be overemphasized. There has been a consensus view that a lot of differences exist between the schools of the past and those of the present. This has been attributed to the explosion of students‘ population in schools and the level of commitment by the teachers.  In the very past, instructional supervisory role performance of principals was little because schools were small in size (Ezedi, 1995, Shantz& Ward, 2000). With increased demand for education and consequent large enrolment of students particularly in the urban areas, secondary schools grew to have many teachers and many classrooms. The need then arose for someone to coordinate the activities of the schools by supervising the other teachers in an effort to improve teaching and learning in secondary schools.

The supervisory role performance of principals especially in secondary schools in involves the application of management principles in designing, developing and effecting resources towards achievement of educational goals. These principles include: planning, budgeting, organizing, directing, supervising and controlling (Rosemary, 2004). Today, the demand for effective management of schools is rapidly taking centre stage more than ever the world over (Okumber, 1999). This effectiveness is judged by the extent to which schools acquire the necessary instructional materials including teachers and how they provide a congenial organizational climate and generallymeet the expectations of the society within which they are established for the purpose of achieving educational objectives (Orora, 2001) According to Obemeata, (2009) the importance of economics education to any nation is very clear. It enables both leaders and citizens to understand basic economics concepts, principles as well as to understand, appreciate and seek to improve the economic situation for their own social good. The understanding of economics is a pre-requisite for good citizenship. To him the principal objective for teaching economics should be “to provide economics understanding necessary for responsible citizenship”. Being a responsible citizen involves the ability to take rational decision on important economic issues with a good basis for doing so.

Knowledge of economics and ability to apply it to significant problems and issues are essential elements of responsible citizenship in a democratic society. Citizens must be able to comprehend and use basic economic concepts in order to perform adequately as producers, consumers, investors, and voters in public elections. Widespread improvements in ability to perform these roles will yield enormous benefits to individuals and the nation.By contrast, the personal and public costs of inability to perform these roles are too large and harmful to be ignored.Knowledge and skills in economics, which are needed for citizenship, will not be learned by most individuals unless they are systematically and effectively taught in elementary and secondary schools. Therefore, economics belongs in the core curriculum, the common learning experiences required of all students as part of their general education for citizenship.

To achieve the knowledge and skills in economics, school executives are expected to apply appropriate management skills. The principal of any secondary school has a crucial obligation in discharging management duties in school. Principalship is a well established position as the chief executive who provides instructional leadership by coordinating curricular activities such as scheme of work, lesson notes, and continuous assessment towards ensuring effective teaching and learning. Also the principal is in charge of extracurricular programmes and is responsible for the general administration of secondary school (Ogakwu, 2010).

In the same vein, the principals‘ supervisory role performance in the teaching and learning of economics is considered to be an eye opener for future career decision. According to Nwaogu, (2008) supervision is the process of helping, guiding, advising and stimulating growth in a subordinate in order to improve on the quality of his work. Supervision is a practice designed to improve teaching and learning process in educational institutions. It involves overseeing the classroom instructional activities of both teachers and students. The overseers are the school principals and other administrative staff.

The principals being instructional leaders are in good position to supervise, monitor assess, evaluate and disseminate current information on educational issues and modern teaching techniques to teachers in order to stimulate them. The overall management of schools rests within the principal, working with and through the teachers to maximize their capabilities in the profession and achieve the desired educational goals. In Gombe State for instance, principals have made efforts and they are still making efforts to improving teaching and learning through effective and efficient supervisory role performance.  It is on this background that the researcher intends to establish the impact of principals‘ supervisory role performance on teaching and learning of economics in secondary schools in Gombe metropolis, Gombe State, Nigeria.

 

1.2        Statement of the Problem

It has been observed that the principals‘ supervisory role performance has lots of general benefits that guide a general impact in teaching and learning in secondary schools. The ultimate goal of secondary education in Nigeria is to develop the individual‘s mental capacity and character for higher education and useful living within the society. (NPE,

2004). The teachers‘ level of resourcefulness, creativity, and imagination is credited to the

principals‘ effective supervisory role performance (Udeozor, 2004).

Similarly, in Gombe state, the current state of teaching and learning of economics in both public and private secondary schools is considered to be fairly effective (Inspection Report, 2014). A number of factors have been identified to explain differential achievements and causes of poor teaching and learning of economics in the public secondary schools, but one factor which needs further investigation is the style of principal‘s supervisory roles performance especially in the supervision of lesson plan, scheme of work, instructional materials, classroom visitation and attitude of teachers towards attendance to their lessons which form the core of schools teaching and learning activities.

Ada, (2010) opined that inadequate supervision and monitoring of teachers lesson plan causes failure in the attainment of instructional objectives because, the lesson plan is a systematic arrangement that lead to the presentation of planned instructional unit. He further elaborated that lesson plan involve situational analysis relating to the following information such as, the content to be taught, the class, the statement of objectives to be achieved, instructional resources to be used, method adopted in presenting the content and evaluation techniques. Therefore adequate supervision of teacher‘s lesson plan helps to achieve

instructional objectives.

Furthermore, inadequate supervision of teacher‘s scheme of work has effect on the teaching and learning activity because, it is rather more detailed document than the syllabus, in addition to the content to be taught, it outline how teaching should be done in schools.

Hence, poor supervision of teacher‘s scheme of work makes teachers to take topics at random regardless of their relevance and consequently makes the teaching and learning disjointed.

Moreover, it has indeed, been observed that poor principal‘s supervisory role of teacher‘s instructional materials in teaching and learning causes failure of student‘s academic achievement because, researchers such asAdetula (2005) and Udeozor (2004) have all shown in their various studies that instructional materials in secondary schools are those materials used in teaching and learning situations to supplement the written or spoken words in the transmission of knowledge, attitude and ideas. Hence, inadequate supervision of teacher‘s use of instructional materials make teachers to apply irrelevant instructional materials in teaching which leads to poor content delivery and consequently affect students academic achievement.

Similarly, inadequate classroom visitation and supervision of teacher‘s punctuality causes failure in the attainment of instructional objectives because, the main purpose of the principals‘ classroom visitation and supervision of teachers punctuality is to guide and direct the activities of the teaching and learning in the school and to discourage absenteeism, truancy and unwanted behavior of the teachers and students. Therefore regular principal‘s classroom visitation and teacher‘s punctuality helps to achieve instructional objectives.

 

 

1.3 Objectives of the Study

The main objective of the study was to determine the impact of principal‘s supervisory role performances on teaching and learning of economics in secondary schools in Gombe metropolis, Gombe state. Specifically, the objectives were to:

1. Assess the impact of principal‘s supervisory role of teacher‘s lesson plan on teaching and learning of economics in secondary schools in Gombe metropolis.
2. Examine the impact of principal‘s supervisory role of teacher‘s scheme of work on

teaching and learning of economics in secondary schools in Gombe metropolis.

3. Find out the impact of principal‘s supervisory role of instructional material on teaching and learning of economics in secondary schools in Gombe metropolis.
4. Determine the impact of principal‘s classroom visitation on teaching and learning of economics in secondary schools in Gombe metropolis.
5. Assess the impact of principal‘s supervisory role of teacher‘s punctuality on teaching

and learning of economics in secondary schools in Gombe metropolis.

1.4 Research Questions

The following research questions are stated to guide the study

1. Is there impact of principal‘s supervisory role of teacher‘s lesson plan on teaching

and learning of economics in secondary schools in Gombe metropolis?

2. Is there impact of principal‘s supervisory role of teacher‘s scheme of wok on

teaching and learning of economics in secondary schools in Gombe metropolis?

3. Is there impact of principal‘s supervisory role of teacher‘s instructional materials on teaching and learning of economics in secondary schools in Gombe metropolis?
4. Is there impact of principal‘s classroom visitation on teaching and learning of economics in secondary schools in Gombe metropolis?
5. Is there impact of principal‘s supervisory role of teacher‘s punctuality on teaching

and learning of economics in secondary schools in Gombe metropolis?

1.5 Research Hypotheses

The following research hypotheses are stated to guide the study

Ho₁:There is no significant difference in the opinions of principals and teachers on the impact of principal‘s supervisory role of teacher‘s lesson plan on teaching and learning of economics in secondary schools in Gombe metropolis.

Ho₂:There is no significant difference in the opinions of principals and teachers on the impact of principal‘s supervisory role of teacher‘s scheme of work on teaching and learning of economics in secondary schools in Gombe metropolis.

Ho₃:There is no significant difference in the opinions of principals and teachers on the impact of principal‘s supervisory role of teacher‘s instructional materials on teaching and learning of economics in secondary schools in Gombe metropolis.

Ho₄:There is no significant difference in the opinions of principals and teachers on the impact of principal‘s classroom visitation on teaching and learning of economics in

secondary schools in Gombe metropolis.

Ho₅:There is no significant difference in the opinions of principals and teachers on the impact of principal‘s supervisory role of teacher‘s punctuality on teaching and learning of economics in secondary schools in Gombe metropolis.

1.6          Basic Assumptions

From the research questions, the following assumptions are advanced for confirmation:

1. Effective principal‘s supervisory role of teacher‘s lesson plan may have impact on

teaching and learning of economics in secondary schools in Gombe metropolis.

2. Adequate supervision of teacher‘s scheme of workby the principals may have impact on teaching and learning economics in secondary schools in Gombe metropolis.
3. Adequate supervision of teacher‘s instructional materials by the principals may have impact on teaching and learning of economics in secondary schools in Gombe metropolis.
4. Effective principal‘s classroom visitation may have impact on teaching and learning

of economics in secondary schools in Gombe metropolis.

5. Adequate supervision of teacher‘s punctuality by the principals may have impact on teaching and learning of economics in secondary schools in Gombe metropolis.

1.7          Significance of the Study

The study will be of significant benefit to principals, teachers, proprietors, Ministry of Education, Curriculum planners. Since the instructional supervision is part and parcel of the school management in educational institutions, the findings would be useful to principals of secondary schools to strengthen their supervisory activities as well as provide them with necessary techniques on how to handle it for the purpose of improving the teacher‘s effectiveness and efficiency to achieve educational goals. This is because the level of teacher‘s resourcefulness, creativity and imagination is credited to effective principal‘s supervisory role performance.

The findings of this study will be very relevant to teachers who are the principal agent of curriculum implementation; it provides recommendations that would help them to make appropriate utilization of lesson plan, scheme of work, instructional materials etcso as to enhance their professional effectiveness in facilitating teaching and learning of economics in educational institutions.

The findings of this study would be useful to the ministry of education and school proprietors to organize seminars, workshop and conferences for principals on instructional supervisory roles to keep them abreast with their changing roles as principals.Similarly, curriculum planners would hopefully benefit from the findings of this study because, the curriculum planners need information about the current state of teaching and learning of economics for decision making in relation to supervisory role performance of principals in secondary schools. The beneficiaries will have access to the findings of this research work through publications, seminars, workshops, and conferences.

1.8          Scope of the Study

        The study is on impact of principals‘ supervisory role performance on teaching and   learning of economics in secondary schools in Gombe metropolis, Gombe state, Nigeria. Thus, the study is, however, limited to public senior secondary schools in Gombe metropolis.

IMPACT OF PRINCIPALS’ MANAGERIAL ROLE PERFORMANCES ON TEACHING AND LEARNING OF ECONOMICS IN SECONDARY SCHOOLS IN GOMBE CITY, GOMBE STATE, NIGERIA  

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