PRINCIPALS’ PREPAREDNESS FOR INSTRUCTIONAL MONITORING IN PUBLIC SECONDARY SCHOOLS

PRINCIPALS’ PREPAREDNESS FOR INSTRUCTIONAL MONITORING IN PUBLIC SECONDARY SCHOOLS

The study aims to examine the Principals’ Preparedness for Instructional Monitoring in Public Secondary Schools in Rivers State, Nigeria.

CHAPTER ONE: INTRODUCTION

1.1 Background to the Study

Education is the process of facilitating, or the acquisition of knowledge, skills, values, beliefs, and habits. It helps individuals to contribute their quota to the development of economic, social, and political activities of any nation. Secondary education is the education that serves as a link between primary and tertiary education.

The Federal Republic of Nigeria (FRN, 2013) defined junior secondary education as the education which a child receives immediately after primary education. And its objectives are to provide the child with diverse basic knowledge and skills for entrepreneurship and educational advancement; develop patriotic young people equipped to contribute to social development and the performance of their civic responsibilities. Inculcate values and raise morally upright individuals capable of independent thinking, and who appreciate the dignity of labor, and inspire national consciousness and harmonious co-existence irrespective of differences in endowment, religion, color, ethnic and socio-economic background.

Likewise, (FRN,2013) defined Post-Basic Education and Career Development (PBECD) as the education children receive after successful completion of nine years of Basic Education and passing the Basic Education Certificate Examination. Its objectives are to provide holders of the Basic Education Certificate and Junior Arabic and Islamic Studies Certificate with opportunity for education of a higher level, irrespective of gender, social status, religious or ethnic background; offer diversified curriculum to cater for the differences in talents, disposition, opportunities and future roles; provide trained manpower in the applied sciences, technology and commerce at sub-professional grades; provide entrepreneurial, technical and vocational job-specific skills for self-reliance, and for agricultural, industrial, commercial and economic development; develop and promote Nigeria languages, art and culture in the context of world’s cultural heritage; inspire students with a desire for self-improvement and achievement of excellence; foster patriotism, national unity and security education with emphasis on the common ties in spite of our diversity; and raise morally upright and well-adjusted individuals who can think independently and rationally, respect the views and feelings of others and appreciate the dignity of labour.

The principal is the head of secondary school in Nigeria; he is responsible for the day-to-day operation of the school. He serves as the Manager, Administrator, and the Instructional Leader of the school. Instructional leadership practices are leadership roles that are directly related to the teaching process, involving the interaction between teachers, students, and curriculum (Quah, 2011). Instructional leadership in the area of supervising teachers will improve the quality of teaching and learning outcomes and enhance the attainment of the educational goals and objectives. Ahmed (2016) highlighted instructional leadership practices to include: framing school goals, communicating school goals, supervision, and evaluation of instruction, coordination of the curriculum, monitoring of students’ progress, protection of instructional time, maintaining high visibility, providing incentives for teachers, promotion of professional development and providing incentives for students. Instructional leadership practices of principals are directly linked to creating the conditions for optimal teaching and learning. In the context of this study, instructional leadership practices could be referred to as administrative activities and roles that are geared towards providing support for teachers and students to ensure quality instructional delivery for school effectiveness.

Instructional monitoring is the act of checking, watching, and observing the activities of teachers, which is geared toward coaching and mentoring them as well as providing professional guidance, direction, leadership and assistance for professional development to improve the quality of instructional delivery. Clark (2015) sees supervision as a task of improving instruction through regular monitoring and in-service education of teachers. In the view of Nnebedum and Akinfolarin (2017), instructional supervision is the actions taken to mentor and monitor subordinates or teachers and provide a supportive and conducive atmosphere for improvement in the instructional process. Principals monitoring of instruction practices include: checking of teachers’ lesson notes, the scheme of work, students’ notes, teachers’ punctuality, teachers’ regularity in class, classroom observation, moderation of examination papers and marking scheme among others (Sule, Ameh & Egbai, 2015).

To carry out these functions, the principle requires professional knowledge, organizational and administrative competence, ability to work out a good school policy and put it into effect, skill in a delegation of authority, ability to understand the professional problems of teachers and give professional guidance, and ability to establish good working relationships with staff and parents.

Bush (2012)stressed the significance of effective leadership and management for successful school and student outcomes is increasingly being recognized. This has led to a consideration of the nature of preparation and development required to promote good leadership. There is now widespread acknowledgment of the need for specialized training for school principals. Going by the trend today in our education system, it seems that academic and instructional activities including curriculum development, teaching, and instructional monitoring do not receive due attention as a result of the Principal’s engagement in administrative activities.

However, ensuring quality achievement of instruction should be the major function of the secondary school principals. Therefore, this study aims to examine the Principals’ preparedness for instructional monitoring in Public Secondary Schools in Rivers State.

1.2 Statement of the Problem

The accountability of principals has changed significantly over the past years, while the charge to create good relationships is still an essential part of the job. School principals face responsibilities they cannot entirely control, including building a positive climate and culture, long-term student academic change, and inspiring teacher leaders. For the most part, principals are focused on the right things but do not always have the skills or the professional development they need to implement these changes and are often under considerable stress and pressure (Patzer, Voegtlin, & Scherer 2013).

Among the reasons cited for the lack of proficiency in instructional monitoring is lack of comprehensive training, a deficit of time for executing instructional activities, lack of qualified teachers, teachers’ truancy, lack of instructional materials, inadequate infrastructure, unrealistic community expectations and a glut of paperwork were cited as reasons for the shortfall. However, with this emphasis comes the question, how prepared principals are for instructional monitoring of Science subjects, Arts subjects, Vocational subjects, and ICT-assisted teaching in public secondary schools in Rivers State, Nigeria.

1.3 Aim and Objectives of the Study

The study aims to examine the Principals’ Preparedness for Instructional Monitoring in Public Secondary Schools in Rivers State, Nigeria. The specific objective(s) of the study are:

1. To find out how prepared urban and rural principals are for instructional monitoring of Science subjects in public secondary schools in Rivers State.
2. To find out how prepared urban and rural principals are for instructional monitoring of Arts subjects in public secondary schools in Rivers State.
3. To find out how prepared urban and rural principals are for instructional monitoring of Vocational subjects in public secondary schools in Rivers State.
4. To find out how prepared urban and rural principals are for instructional monitoring of ICT-assisted teaching in public secondary schools in Rivers State.
5. To find out the challenges urban and rural principals face in instructional monitoring in public secondary schools in Rivers State.

1.4 Research Questions

The following research questions are raised to direct this study:

1. How prepared urban and rural principals are for instructional monitoring of Science subjects in public secondary schools in Rivers State.?
2. How prepared urban and rural principals are for instructional monitoring of Arts subjects in public secondary schools in Rivers State.?
3. How prepared urban and rural principals are for instructional monitoring of Vocational subjects in public secondary schools in Rivers State.?
4. How prepared urban and rural principals are for instructional monitoring of ICT-assisted teaching in public secondary schools in Rivers State.?
5. What are the challenges urban and rural principals face in instructional monitoring in public secondary schools in Rivers State?

1.5 Hypotheses

The following hypotheses were generated to guide this study:

1. There is no significant difference between the mean rating scores of urban and rural principals’ instructional monitoring of Science subjects in public secondary schools in Rivers State.
2. There is no significant difference between the rating scores of urban and rural principals’ instructional monitoring of Arts subjects in public secondary schools in Rivers State.
3. There is no significant difference between the mean rating scores of urban and rural principals’ instructional monitoring of Vocational subjects in public secondary schools in Rivers State.
4. There is no significant difference between the mean rating scores of urban and rural principals’ instructional monitoring of ICT-assisted teaching in public secondary schools in Rivers State.
5. There is a significant difference between the mean rating scores of the challenges urban and rural principals face in instructional monitoring in public secondary schools in Rivers State.

1.6 Significance of the Study

The study on the Principals’ Preparedness for Instructional Monitoring in Public Secondary Schools in Rivers State was undertaken to provide information that will help Educational Leaders with the best instructional practices through which they can make decisions on the criteria for the appointment of Principals in secondary schools. The study would also help the school principals to improve in the area of professional knowledge, organizational and administrative competence to enhance their performance on instructional monitoring.

The study is expected to be a resource material to students in Educational Administration and Planning to use the findings of the study as a basis for further researches.

The study would also help the teachers to understand their roles to work in collaboration with the principals to improve instruction in secondary schools.

1.7 Delimitation of the Study

The study is concerned with the principals’ preparedness for instructional monitoring in public secondary schools in Rivers State. The population of the study comprised all the school principals in public secondary schools in Rivers State, however, the study shall be delimited geographically to Obio-Akpor, Port Harcourt, Omuma, Oyigbo, Etche, Ikwerre, Khana, Bonny, Emohua and Akuku-Toru Local Government Areas in Rivers State. The proportionate stratified random sample was used to select the local government areas in Rivers State.

The researcher is interested to study: how prepared principals are for instructional monitoring of Science, Arts, Vocational subjects, ICT-assisted teaching, and the challenges they face in instructional monitoring in public secondary schools in Rivers State.

The rationale of the study is the effects of the negligence of the Instructional Monitoring by the Principals in secondary schools as a result of their administrative tasks and general management of the school. Most school principals handle instructional monitoring with levity, leaving the whole work of instruction in the hands of classroom teachers.