ADMINISTRATOR’S LEADERSHIP REQUIREMENTS AND EFFECTIVE MANAGEMENT OF PUBLIC JUNIOR SECONDARY SCHOOLS IN RIVERS EAST SENATORIAL DISTRICT OF RIVERS STATE, NIGERIA
Keywords:
Leadership requirements, Effective management, School administrators, Emotional intelligence, Public junior secondary schoolsAbstract
This study investigated the relationship between school administrator’s leadership requirements and effective management of public junior secondary schools in Rivers East Senatorial District of Rivers State. Two research questions and two hypotheses were formulated to guide the research. A survey design was adopted with correlational characteristics. The population of the study consisted of 230 vice-principals and 115 principals in the 7 Local Governments Areas in Rivers State. The entire population was 345 respondents. Hence, no sampling was required as the 230 vice principals and 115 principals constituted the 345 targeted respondents. The instruments titled “School Administrators’ Leadership Requirements Questionnaire (SALRQ) and Effective management Scale (EMS)” were developed by the researcher was used to assess the relationship between leadership requirements and effective management of public junior secondary schools. The instruments were validated and test of reliability utilizing Pearson Product Moment Correlation results were 0.74 and 0.71 respectively, confirming the instrument's consistency. For data analysis, product moment correlation with the aid of SPSS version 24 was used to interpret responses to the two research questions and hypotheses formulated for the study. The study revealed a strong and significant positive relationship between administrators' visionary leadership, emotional intelligence and the effective management of public junior secondary schools in Rivers State. Based on the results, recommendations were made as follows that educational institutions should implement leadership training workshops that equip administrators with strategic planning, goal-setting, and motivational leadership skills to ensure sustainable school growth and effective management and school administrators should undergo continuous professional development programs focused on enhancing their emotional intelligence to improve decision-making, conflict resolution, and staff relationships.
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