ABSTRACT
The study investigated human resource development and demographic variables as correlates of quality assurance practices of principals in secondary schools in South East, Nigeria. Eight research questions and seven null hypotheses guided the study. The correlational survey design was adopted for the study. The population of the study comprised 1,247 principals in public secondary schools in South East, Nigeria. The sample sizes for the study consist of 819 principals. Cluster sampling technique was used to draw three states out of the five states that constitute South- East states. All the principals in these drawn states were used. The instrument for data collection was a researcher developed instrument titled
: ‘Human Resource Development Questionnaire, Principals Demographic Variables and Quality Assura
nce Practices Questionnaire (HRDPDVQAPQ)’. The instrument was face validated by three experts: two from Educational Administration and Planning unit and one from Measurement and Evaluation unit, all from the Faculty of Education, University of Nigeria, Nsukka. The internal consistency reliability coefficients of the (HRDQ) were obtained through Cronbach Alpha method. This gave reliability values of 0.68, 0.76 and 0.85 for clusters I, II and III (Section B) and 0.85, 0.77 and 0.69 for clusters I, II and III respectively (Section C). The overall reliability index of 0.87 was obtained. The questionnaire was administered and 797copies were retrieved, well filled and used for analysis. The data collected were analyzed using Pearson r to answer the research questions while Simple Linear Regression analysis was used to test the hypotheses at 0.05 level of significance. Cohen’s interpretation of correlational studies was used to interpret the effect size. It was found among others that principals engaged frequently in activities which indicated high quality assurance with respect to quality assurance practices indicators which were monitoring, supervision of instruction and evaluation. There were significant relationships between qualification, years of experience and quality assurance practices with respect to monitoring, supervision of instruction and evaluation. However, only human resources development correlated quality assurance in all the quality assurance practices indicators. Age and gender of the principals did not in any way correlate quality assurance in any of the quality assurance practices. One major implication of the findings was that human resource developments are critical to quality assurance practices of principals in secondary schools. Based on these findings and implications, recommendations were also proffered among which was that the government in collaboration with the school board should intensify effort to provide human resource development programmes for principals to improve their quality assurance practices in different task areas.
CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
Background of the Study
Education is widely acclaimed as the focal point on which the wheel of the development of any nation depends. This is because education brings new knowledge and development in the society. According to Federal Republic of Nigeria (2008), education is the most important instrument of change since any fundamental change in the intellectual and social outlook of any society has to be preceded by an educational revolution and educational administrators are at the focal point of the revolution. Educational administrators ensure that the resources that will facilitate the achievement of educational goals in institutions are available in primary, tertiary and especially in secondary schools. Resources in secondary schools include financial, material and human resources. This study is interested in human resource development and demographic variables as correlates of quality assurance practices of principals in secondary schools in South East, Nigeria.
Human resources are the individuals working in an organization who are endowed with a range of abilities, talents and attitudes. According to Out (2015), these employees working in the organization set overall strategies and goals, design work systems, produce goods and services, monitor quality, allocated financial resources and market the products and services of the organization. These individuals in the organization therefore, become “human resources’ by virtue of the roles they perform in the organizations and their participations in the achievement of the organizational objectives. Yepwi (2009) defined human resources as people and their characteristic at work either at the national level or organizational level.
In addition, human resources are the skilled and trained manpower available in every organization and educational institutions inclusive. Human resources are the quality of workforce available in an organization that combines financial and material resources towards the achievement of
organizational goals. According to Hunter (2006), human resource is the pivot on which other resources
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move around. Other resources are being provided to complement the efforts of human resource. Okonkwo (2016) opined that human resource constitutes the active agents that harness and combine financial and material resources towards the realization of educational goals. This means that individuals’ collective abilities and experiences make significant contribution towards the success of an organization.
Human resources can also be defined as the personnel division of an organization. According to Ekundayo, Conwea and Yusuf (2009), human resources are unique in any organization because every human being needs their attention. Armstrong (2006) opined that skillful individuals and their abilities make recognized useful contributions to the success of the organization and constitute significant source of competitive advantage to the organization. Human resource are the key operators in any educational institution as an organization which ensure and sustain unfettered access and equity in education for the total development of individuals. In this study, human resources can also mean individuals working in an organization endowed with knowledge, skills, creative abilities, talents and attitudes to achieve the predetermined objectives of the organization. There are different kinds of human resources in secondary schools which include principals, teachers, students and non-tutorial staff. This study focused on human resources in secondary schools in South East, Nigeria which include principals who need development professionally for effective and efficient achievement of educational goals.
On the other hand, development is the framework for helping employees to develop their personal and organizational skills, knowledge and abilities. This is the acquisition of knowledge and capabilities that are needed to perform the job or the future expected job. This is the task of getting result through other people’s developed efforts. According to Unachukwu and Okorji (2014), just as the heart coordinates and regulates all human activities, school administrators coordinate and regulate activities of various members of the organization including development.
Development is very crucial in every human endeavour and this deal with promotion from a less desiring position to a more preferable one and lead to personal and professional growth. According to Olorunshola and Bamijoko (2005), the relevance of development is to provide opportunities for workers to reach their potentials. Such opportunities include; conferences, seminars, workshops, observation visits, individual and collaborative research, mentoring, among others. These development opportunities may create positive impact on secondary school principals as some of the principals are unskillful and unproductive on the job (Nkado, 2012). Therefore, in this study, developments are strategies which lead to acquisition of skills and knowledge required to fill the gap of ineffectiveness of the principals in monitoring, supervision and evaluation of instructional activities in the school and result to elevation from less desiring position to a more preferable one. Such strategies include personal development, professional development and organizational development.
Personal development refers to the development of new knowledge, skills, and/or improved behaviors that result in performance enhancement and improvement related to one’s current job (training). Learning may involve formal programmes, but is most often accomplished through informal in-service training activities in form of conferences, seminars and workshops (Jerry and Seteven, 2017). In-service training refers to an important tool for development of human resource. According to Ugwoke and Chukwuma (2015), in-service training in the school system refers to training given to school administrators which include principals, head teachers, teachers, and all the staff who are concerned with tasks that need special skill or development especially those ones that need high level of education. Nakpodia (2008) opined that in-service training is a process of continous upgrading of school workers’ skills, knowledge and interests in their areas of specialization. The training may be either full time or part time depending on the choice of the organization. The author further stated that this in-service training is geared towards improving upon worker’s performance with the ultimate aim of achieving set organizational goals. Therefore, in-service training of secondary school principals is aimed at enhancing their capabilities so that they can effectively handle their administrative
responsibilities as chief administrators in secondary schools and maintain quality assurance. Conference as a human resource development strategy can be considered.
Conference as one of the human resource development strategies is a way secondary school principals can develop professionally. This can be internally organised within the education zone or organized externally outside the zone. According to Onah (2003), conference is a planned programme in the school system which exposes principals and teachers to ideas of individuals who are experts in their areas of specialization. These conferences focus mainly on the areas of instruction, finances, new trend in education or new curriculum, quality assurance and evaluation (Okendu, 2009). In this study, conference refers to training given to principals to acquire necessary skills and develop their knowledge to effectively handle educational responsibilities in the school and maintain quality assurance. Seminar can also be discussed as a human resource development strategy.
Seminar is one of the above mentioned human resource development strategy. According to Rogers (2014) a seminar is a lecture or an academic instruction offered either in an educational institution or in an organization which brings small groups together for recurring meetings, focusing on some important issues which every member is expected to actively participate. Billings (2002) defined seminar as a class where a small group of learners and their teacher discuss or carryout a particular study. In this study, seminar refers to a lecture given to school administrators or principals concerning their duties for professional development which can help them to achieve and sustain quality assurance in the system. Workshop as a human resource development strategy can be discussed.
Workshop is another human resource development opportunity in the school system.
According to Okonkwo (2016), workshop refers to a group of academics engaged in discussions and practical work on a particular subject in which they share their knowledge and experiences through participatory and interactive methods. Billings (2002) opined that workshop is series of meetings emphasizing interaction and exchange of information among participants. Butler (2002) also defined workshop as a class of people engaged in a study or work on a creative project. This means that
workshop can mean a room where things are made or repaired with the aid of tools or machinery. In this study, workshop is a professional programme organized for group of school administrators or principals to engage them in a study that will lead to their growth in career, school administration and quality assurance.
Professional development focuses on providing the analysis necessary to identify the individual interests, values, competencies, activities, and assignments needed to develop skills for future jobs (development). According to Jerry and Seteven (2017), professional development includes both individual and organizational activities. Individual activities include career planning, career awareness, and utilizing career resource centers. Organizational activities include job posting systems, mentoring systems, career resource center development and maintenance, using school principals as career counselors, providing career development workshops and seminars, human resource planning, performance appraisal, career programmes and organizational development can also be considered.
Organizational development is directed at developing new and creative organization solutions to performance problems by enhancing congruence among the organization’s structure, culture, processes, and strategies within the human resources domain. In other words, the organization or institution has become a more functional unit as a result of a closer working relationship among these elements (Bradley, 2017). The ultimate goal of organizational or institutional development is to develop the organizations or institutions ‘self-renewing capacity. This refers to the organization’s or institutions’ ability to look introspectively and discover its problems and weaknesses and to direct the resources necessary for improvement. As a result according to Jerry and Seteven (2017), the organization or institution will be able to regenerate itself over and over again as it confronts new and ever-challenging circumstances. This occurs through collaboration of organizational or institutional heads with a change agent (human resource development practitioner), using behavioral science theory, research, and technology to ensure quality of outputs in the nation.
Human resource development is very important for quality assurance practices of principals for the achievement of educational goals in secondary schools. According to Kelly (2006), human resource development is a process of building the knowledge of members of an organization to be ready to assume duties, take up responsibilities and become challenged. Mathis and John (2005) defined human resource development as a process whereby individuals are recruited, mobilized and trained in a manner that helps in achievement of organizational goals. According to Ugwoke and Chukwuma (2015) human resource development in educational system are planned activities that involve training and enlarging the capabilities of individuals in educational institutions to improve instructions and assume higher responsibilities.
The human resource development of any society is based on the individuals in that society. According to Okendu (2009), human resource development is an organized programmes which can enhance quality assurance practices of school administrators. In this study, human resource development is the acquisition of skills, knowledge and abilities to perform organizational functions effectively. Such organized programmes include; conferences, seminars, workshops, observation visits, individual and collaborative research, mentoring, among others. These human resource development programmes are strategies which may create positive impact on secondary school principals. Therefore, in this study, human resource development strategies include programmes such as personal development, professional development and organizational (institutional) development and demographic variables of principals can be discussed.
For a nation to rise to a standard worthy enough to compete favourably with other nations, such a nation has to ensure that high quality education is achieved and sustained in her educational system through human resource development and quality assurance. Demographic variables can be used to correlate quality assurance practices in educational institutions. There are demographic variables that could impact on secondary school principals’ quality assurance practices. These demographic variables are personal characteristics which include information on age, gender, educational level, location,
income level, ethnicity and family background. Annie (2005) pointed out that every survey research carried out seeks to include questions on age, gender and location. Demographic variables are operationalzed as information relating to principals characteristics which could impact on their quality assurance practices. This study examines how age, gender, professional qualification, and working experience of the principals relate to principals quality assurance practices. Age as one of the demographic variables of the study is discussed below.
Age is referred to as the number of years that an individual has lived. As regards to this study, chronological age is the concern of the researcher. According to Schwall (2012) chronological age is a measure of time that has passed since an individual’s birth. This means an individual’s age measured in years, months, weeks and days from the date the individual was born. In this study, age of principals is classified as: below 30years as young age and above 30years as older age and this when correlated with principals’ quality assurance practices will determine if there is a relationship or not between age and quality assurance practices and gender as another variable in this study can be considered.
Gender is different from sex which is the biological difference between males and females. According to Ganser (2000), gender is a socially constructed expectation for male and female behaviours which prescribe a division of labour and responsibilities between both parties. Gender issues centre on men and women and the relationship between men and women, their roles, access to and control over resources, division of labour, interests and needs. In this study, gender is defined as the proficiency with which male and female principals in secondary schools in South East, Nigeria ensure quality in the system and qualification of the principals can be considered.
Qualification is an acquired knowledge that proves one suitable for a job. According to Modile (2008), qualification is a body of knowledge acquired by an individual after a programmed learning designed for performance in a specific task. This is the knowledge and skills acquired which suit a condition or make an individual qualify for a post, office, privilege or status (Sturman, 2000). In this study, qualification is the acquisition of certificate after undergoing formal training in an institution.
This study tries to determine if there is a relationship between principals’ qualification and their quality assurance practices. Such certificates include West African School Certificate (WASC), National Examination Council certificate (NECO) and General Certificate on Education (GCE), Bachelor of Arts or Science in Education (B.ED/ BSc. (Ed)), Post graduate Diploma in Education (PGDE), Masters Degree in Education (M.Ed), Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D), among others. These Certificates are issued after graduation from schools. For the purpose of this study, qualifications below B.ED/ BSc. (Ed) certificates is regarded as lower qualifications while PGDE certificates and above is regarded as higher qualifications. This classification is necessary due to the fact that it will help to determine whether there is a relationship between qualification of the principals and their quality assurance practices in the school system when correlated and another variable of discussion in this study which is working experience of the principals can be considered.
Working experience is another important variable in the study. Working experience is any experience that an individual gains while working in a specific field or occupation. Organizations often give top positions to employees that have job experience in order to maximize efficiency on the job and assure steady maintenance of quality products. These experiences are useful for enhancing managerial skills and employees with such a knowledgeable working experience has advantage over individuals without working experience (Yuntao, Myeong, and Kathryn, 2014). Employees with working experience have preference for learning new things and are likely to reap more benefits from them. Working experience is any experience an individual gains while the individual works in a specific field such as educational institutions.
In this study, working experience is viewed as the length of time a principal has put in administration. For the purpose of this study, 0-4 years of experience is classified as below moderate experience, 5-10 years as moderate while 10 years and above is regarded as having more experience on the job. This classification is necessary due to the facts that it will help to determine whether there is a
relationship between experience of the principals and their quality assurance practices in the school when correlated.
The principal occupies a central position in the management of the school and therefore has responsibility for ensuring quality in the school. Principal is the head of an institution that occupies a pivotal position, requiring initiatives and skills for the day to day administration of a secondary school. As school leaders, principals have foresight for effective, efficient and dynamic principles in handling matters between the school, staff and the host community (Ibukun, 2004). Similarly a principal is in a position to guide and provide expertise in curriculum development, teaching methods, and evaluation as well as supervision of human and material resources.
For the school to function well, the principal is in a position to exploit all possible means to keep a healthy environment for the students, staff and the general public (Aina, 2011). Therefore the principal, as the chief executive officer of a school, guides and inspires the teachers’ for job satisfaction. The principal also sets the direction of policies, acceptable standards for academic and behavioural achievement of students, establishes a friendly school climate and influences the commitment of every stakeholder in the society for the achievement of the educational goals. Principal as a leader is also the liaison officer that mediates between the school and the society. A critical role of a principal is to mobilize the teaching and non-teaching staff towards the achievement of quality assurance and predetermined school objectives of the schools and for this purpose, quality is emphasized.
Quality is the distinguishing characteristics that expose the work of products and services rendered in an organization or educational institutions. Okebukola (2005) opined that quality is fitness for a given purpose. Okolo and Nweze (2010: 24) stated that “Quality is a measuring instrument or tool used for effective implementation of any reform by the government”. The quality of the teacher in area of preparedness to acquire knowledge and skills, use relevant teaching materials and different teaching methods for effective learning, the teacher’s ability to transmit relevant knowledge and skills to the
learners contribute to quality in the standard of education in our society. Quality as Okeke (2007) opined is an efficiency level with which standard is achieved. Olaitan, Alaribe and Eze (2010) stated that quality is an institutional value that needs not be compromised.
Quality has become very important in the standard of Nigerian educational institutions at all levels. According to Ezenwaji, Ejionueme, Ugwoke and Chigbu (2014:2) “the growing concern of quality education has led many nations to look for ways of achieving quality education at every level of education”. The concept ‘quality’ as Association of African University (2007:43) posits is “fitness for purpose” “transformation from one state to another with value added”. Quality as Abraham and Robert (2011) opined deals with good characteristics or trait of an activity that promotes excellence or superiority through education. In this study, the concept quality is addition of value and attainment of exceptionally high standard in school system in Nigeria.
Quality assurance can be defined as desirable changes in knowledge, skills, attitudes and values of individuals due to their experiences in the three main behavioural domains; the cognitive, affective and psychomotor over a period of study. Quality assurance according to Gasey (2007) is the process of ensuring that predetermined degree of excellence is achieved. Quality assurance is a learner centred approach. Quality assurance as Olaitan, Alaribe and Eze (2010) opined is centred on school administrators or instructors. The ability of the instructors to demonstrate effectively and efficiently the acquired knowledge, skills and attitudes to learners thereby yielding quality assured product is quality assurance. Oyinloye, Ochuba and Azubuike (2010) explained that quality assurance is a way by which the quality of products are assessed and compared with the already set standards.
Quality assurance is the process of collecting, analyzing and utilizing of relevant educational information so as to ensure that pre-determined educational goals are optimally achieved. The quality of student’s learning outcomes is directly dependent on the quality of teachers as demonstrated in their knowledge or mastery of the subject matter or content, ability to carry out instructional tasks, facilitate effective learning and increase learner’s achievement. According to Osagie and Olugbamila (2009), the
assessment of student’s teachers and other examination bodies is an important criterion for determining the quality of learner outcomes. It is therefore necessary that effective monitoring and supervision takes place so that student’s learning outcomes can meet the set objectives and satisfy the expectations of the society.
Monitoring is part of management functions that focuses on fulfilling quality requirements. Odo (2014) opines that monitoring is a mechanism in the school system used to maintain high degree of excellence in service. Monitoring covers teachers’ qualification, adequacy of the curriculum, availability of teaching and learning materials and facilities and skillfulness to ensure that quality education is attained. According to Ojedele (2007), monitoring is seen as the concern of the country in her drive towards technological development. However, if these are being achieved successfully, the finished products of the schools will be of high quality standards and this will help to constantly maintain quality assurance in the school hence, another quality assurance practices called supervision is considered.
Supervision is the overseeing of those who are responsible for teaching, learning, resource utilization, management among others in the process of educating the learner. This is a practice in the school system for improvement of teaching and learning. It includes attempt at bringing about improvement in the quality of instruction and involve staff as essential part of the process. According to Nwagwu (2004), supervision is the process of guiding, advising, refreshing, encouraging, stimulating, improving and overseeing a teacher in order to improve on quality of his teaching and classroom management. This means that supervision is a way of giving advice, refreshing, encouraging and stimulating staff for improved and effective teaching and learning. Supervision is also any assistance given to the teacher for improved teaching and learning with adequate provision of instructional materials and needed facilities. This means that supervision is a phase of school administration which ensures that the teacher acquires maximum knowledge and skills to become professionally efficient in
order to improve on quality of his teaching and classroom management. After supervision, comes evaluation to determine the extent of mastering of the contents taught.
Evaluation involves assessment maintained, appraisal, valuation and estimation of the worth of education input, process and output in line with the set standards making judgment and corrective criticism. It focuses on the job and the scientific approach. According to Babalola (2004), evaluation deals with close examination, check, scrutiny and assessment of available facilities and resources in an institution with reference to establishing how far a particular institution has met the set standards.
This implies that Quality assurance is a practice or the criteria used to evaluate the efficiency and appropriateness of teaching and learning experiences so as to ensure the delivery of high quality standard of education and also the process of monitoring, assessing and evaluating according to set standards and communicating the outcomes to all concerned in order to ensure quality with integrity, public accountability and consistent improvement in teaching and learning. According to Eze (2010) quality assurance has mechanisms or measures which can be either internal or external in educational system. Externally are quality assurance measures which are imposed on educational institutions from outside. Gasey (2007) stated that external quality assurance measures are super institutional programmes for assuring quality of higher institutions and their programmes. Internally, quality assurances are intra-institutional activities or practices that are geared towards maintaining and improving quality of programmes in educational institutions.
Quality assurance in education is the process of ensuring effective resource input, control, refining the process and raising the standards of output in order to meet the set educational goals. According to Adeolu (2012), quality assurance in education is the efficient management, monitoring, evaluation and reviews of the resource inputs and transformation process (teaching and learning) to produce quality outputs (students) that meet set standards and expectations of the society. Raouf (2008) opined that quality assurance in education is the process of ensuring continuous improvement in all aspects of education in an institution of learning to satisfy the needs and expectations of the learners.
This calls for maintenance of high standard of effective teaching, learning and general academic improvement in educational institutions.
Secondary education is the education received after primary school, which is called post primary or secondary education. Federal Republic of Nigeria (2004) defined it as the education given after primary education in Colleges including those institutions offering technical and vocational subjects. From these definitions, it implies that secondary education follows after primary education and whichever level of education, quality assurance is important. This study concentrates on public secondary schools that are owned and managed single handedly by the government of a state or federal government.
In the secondary schools in South East, Nigeria, there have been several situations which created doubts in the minds of people whether secondary school principals practice quality assurance in the school or not. According to Chigbu (2016), this is due to the fact that there has been a public outcry on quality of education since teachers are no longer properly supervised by the principals. This inadequacy in supervision manifest in poor instructional delivery by the teachers and increased mass failure in external examinations such as West African School Certificate (WASC), National Examination Council (NECO) Certificate, General Certificate on Education (GCE) and even Joint Admission and Matriculation Board (JAMB) Examination.
The quality of the products of the Nigerian educational system has been a source of worry to stakeholders. Recently, there has been increased complaint by parents, heads of tertiary institutions and employers of secondary school graduates that secondary school graduates are poorly prepared for the challenges facing the society (Edem, 2008). Saraki (2009) also stated that secondary school graduates are unproductive on the job and the short falls are severe in oral and written communication. The reasons may be that many secondary school principals do not give attention to monitoring, supervision of instructional activities, evaluation of new trend in education, classroom organization and management and techniques in continuous assessment in the school. Other reasons may include neglect
of human resources development opportunities due insufficient fund to organize such programmes. Nwadum (2006) observed that principals in secondary schools in South East, Nigeria, had negative and unprofessional attitude which were portrayed in the form of irregularity and laissez-faire attitude to monitoring, instructional supervision and evaluation.
This deplorable state of education in the South East, Nigeria has impacted negatively on the academic progress of instruction. Okpe (2010) noted that the trend of poor performance of students in both internal and external examination are due to poor monitoring, supervision and evaluation of instructional activities in the school. These inefficiencies in administration affects achievement of the predetermined objectives of the school and can be portrayed in the form of high rate of examination malpractice, poor reading and writing culture of students, among others. Many principals in secondary schools neglect human resource development programmes due to
lack of fund to organize such programmes and this negatively affect monitoring, supervision and evalua tion in the school (Nwadum, 2006). This poor performance of students serves as a pointer to the fact that there is a decline in quality of teaching and learning within the school. To this effect, there was a need for the present researcher to examine human resources development and demographic variables in relation to quality assurance practices of principals in secondary schools in South East, Nigeria. Statement of the Problem
The quality of the products of the Nigerian educational system has been a source of worry to stakeholders. Recently, there has been increased complaint by parents, heads of tertiary institutions and employers of secondary school graduates that secondary school graduates are poorly prepared for the challenges facing the society. It has been observed that secondary school graduates are unproductive on the job. The reasons may be that many secondary school principals do not give attention to monitoring, supervision of instructional activities, evaluation of new trend in education, classroom organization and management and techniques in continuous assessment in the school. Other reasons may include neglect of human resource development due to lack of fund to organize such programmes. It has been observed
over the years that principals in secondary schools in South East, Nigeria, had negative and unprofessional attitude which were portrayed in the form of irregularity and laissez-faire attitude to monitoring, instructional supervision and evaluation. It was noted that some of the principals in secondary schools in South East, Nigeria lack professional knowledge of monitoring, supervision and evaluation of instructional activities in the school and some, due to their ages, gender and years of experience on the job are unskillful.
This deplorable state of education in the South East, Nigeria has impacted negatively on the academic progress of instruction. Before now, there have been human resource development programmes for principals and teachers but due to political instability, there has been serious decline in planning such programmes. There is poor performance of students in their internal and external examinations due to principals’ inefficiency in monitoring, supervision and evaluation of instructional activities in the school which affects achievement of the predetermined objectives of the school. This can be portrayed in the form of high rate of examination malpractice, poor reading and writing culture of students, among others. This poor performance of students serves as a pointer to the fact that there is a decline in quality of teaching and learning within the school. To this effect, there is a need for the present researcher to correlate human resource development, demographic variables and quality assurance practices of principals in secondary schools in South East, Nigeria.
For any nation to excel, such a nation needs a well trained manpower that can create and apply new technologies. A lot of research work has revealed that human resource development brings additional knowledge and improved skills and these are expected to lead to quality assurance. To the best knowledge of the present researcher, recent researches have been conducted on human resource development, demographic variables and quality assurance but none has been carried out on human resource development and demographic variables as correlates of quality assurance practices of principals in secondary schools. In view of this, the present researcher embarks on the study to
determine human resource development and demographic variables as correlates of quality assurance practices of principals in secondary schools in South East, Nigeria.
Purpose of the Study
The main purpose of this study is to determine the relationship between human resource development, demographic variables and quality assurance practices of principals in secondary schools in South East, Nigeria
Specifically, the study sought to:
1. Identify the human resource development strategies of principals in secondary schools in the South
East, Nigeria.
2. Determine the relationship between personal development and quality assurance practices of principals in secondary schools in South East, Nigeria.
3. Ascertain the relationship between professional development and quality assurance practices of principals in secondary schools in South East, Nigeria.
4. Determine the relationship between organizational development and quality assurance practices of principals in secondary schools in South East, Nigeria.
5. Ascertain the relationship between principals’ age and quality assurance practices of principals in secondary schools in South East, Nigeria
6. Determine the relationship between principals’ gender and quality assurance practices of principals in secondary schools in South East, Nigeria
7. Ascertain the relationship between principals’ qualification and quality assurance practices of principals in secondary schools in South East, Nigeria
8. Determine the relationship between principals’ years of experience and quality assurance practices of principals in secondary schools in South East, Nigeria
Significance of the Study
The findings of the study have both theoretical and practical significance. Theoretically, the study is anchored on Scientific Management Theory. Scientific Management Theory was propounded by Fredrick W. Taylor (1917). The theory states that managers can use scientific research methods to find out the best way to finish every piece of work and assure quality. The efficiency of workers can only be achieved by maximizing the workers outputs through the application of scientific management theory. The theory takes a positive view of workers, assuming that all wish to contribute to the organization’s effective performance through scientific research methods and the main obstacles to their endeavour are lack of knowledge, insufficient training on the methods and process failures. Taylor feels that one could through training, scientifically discover ‘the one best method’ for finishing work in the shortest possible time and assure quality output. The manager has to be knowledgeable in scientific management theory through acquired individual, professional and organizational development and try as much as possible to apply the training on the job to maintain quality assurance. The theory is important to this study, because it recognizes that principals have to be professionally trained to be knowledgeable in their duties of monitoring, supervision, and general administration in the school.
Practically, the findings of the study will be beneficial to principals, students, teachers and policy makers. Principals will benefit since the study will create awareness of quality instructional supervision and its relative impact on quality assurance by assisting the principals to acquire knowledge and skills to improve on monitoring, instructional supervision, evaluation and assure quality. Also, the principal after undergoing personal and professional training will help to train teachers on the need for monitoring students activities, supervision and evaluation techniques to be abreast with current trends and innovations in education. The findings of this study will serve as an eye opener to the Association of Nigerian Conference of Principals of Secondary Schools (ANCOPSS) by revealing to them the human resource development programmes and their importance, demographic variables and their
relationship with quality assurance practices. Principals will have access to this work when the findings are published in journals.
Students will specifically benefit from the findings of this study in that when the relationship between human resource development, demographic variables and quality assurance practices of principals in secondary schools in South East, Nigeria, is known, policies will be formulated in that regard and students will benefit by way of improved learning environment. This will also serve as an eye opener to increase the rate of monitoring, supervision of instructional activities and evaluation in the school thereby helping students to develop good habit of reading and writing culture to curb high rate of examination malpractices in the schools. The students will also benefit by getting the information when the research findings will be published in journal, articles, among others.
Teachers will also benefit from the findings of this study since after engaging the principals in human resource development programme, the principal will think of involving the teachers on in- service training so as to understand and meet up with the new administrative guidelines in the school. The information in this study will also help teachers to improve through effective supervision by the principals that will motivate and stimulate them to teach better. Teachers will have access to this work when the findings are published in journals.
The policy makers will benefit from the study especially the post primary school management board in designing and evaluating policies and programmes that allow personal, professional and organizational development of workers. Areas of need could be identified and training in form of seminars, conferences and workshops could be given. This study will emphasize the need for policy formulation that will address issues on quality assurance in the nation. These will also help policy makers to obtain a clear picture of how quality can be measured and bring out a common formal and national system of accreditation for quality assurance.
Scope of the Study
The study covered principals in public secondary schools in South East, Nigeria. South East, Nigeria is made up of five states namely: Abia, Anambra, Ebonyi, Enugu and Imo states. South East, Nigeria was chosen because the states have similarity in educational, political and social development practices. The content scope include to; identify the human resource development strategies, determine the relationship between human resource development and monitoring as quality assurance practices of principals, ascertain the relationship between human resource development and supervision as quality assurance practices of principals, determine the relationship between human resource development and evaluation as quality assurance practices of principals, ascertain the relationship between principals’ age, gender, qualification and years of experience and their quality assurance practices of principals in secondary schools in South East, Nigeria.
Research Questions
The following research questions were formulated to guide the study:
1. What are the human resource development strategies of principals in secondary schools in
South East, Nigeria?
2. What is the relationship between personal development and quality assurance practices of principals in secondary schools in South East, Nigeria?
3. What is the relationship between professional development and quality assurance practices of principals in secondary schools in South East, Nigeria
4. What is the relationship between organizational development and quality assurance practices of principals in secondary schools in South East, Nigeria?
5. What is the relationship between principals’ age and quality assurance practices of principals in secondary schools in South East, Nigeria?
6. What is the relationship between principals’ gender and quality assurance practices of principals in secondary schools in South East, Nigeria?
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7. What is the relationship between principals’ qualification and quality assurance practices of principals in secondary schools in South East, Nigeria?
8. What is the relationship between principals’ years of experience and quality assurance practices of principals in secondary schools in South East, Nigeria?
Hypotheses
The following hypotheses were formulated to guide the study and were tested at 0.05 level of significance.
H01: There was no significant relationship between personal development and quality assurance practices of principals in secondary schools in South East, Nigeria.
H02: There was no significant relationship between professional development and quality assurance practices of principals in secondary schools in South East, Nigeria.
H03: There was no significant relationship between organizational development and quality assurance practices of principals in secondary schools in South East, Nigeria.
H04: There was no significant relationship between principals’ age and quality assurance practices of principals in secondary schools in South East, Nigeria.
H05: There was no significant relationship between principals’ gender and quality assurance practices of principals in secondary schools in South East, Nigeria.
H06: There was no significant relationship between principals’ qualification and quality assurance practices of principals in secondary schools in South East, Nigeria.
H07: There was no significant relationship between experience and quality assurance pra principals in secondary schools in South East, Nigeria.
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HUMAN RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT AND DEMOGRAPHIC VARIABLES AS CORRELATES OF QUALITY ASSURANCE PRACTICES OF PRINCIPALS IN SECONDARY SCHOOLS IN SOUTH EAST NIGERIA>
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