Principals’ Application of Personnel Management Practices for improving Teachers Job Performance in Secondary Schools in Anambra State

Abstract

Undesirable behaviours such as absenteeism, lateness to school and truancy like engaging in other activities such as selling items in school may indicate lapses in principals’ personnel management. This prompted the researcher to investigate principals’ application of personnel management practices for improving teachers’ job performance in secondary schools in Anambra state. Two research questions guided the study and two null hypotheses were tested at 0.05 level of significance. The descriptive survey research design was adopted for the study. The population of the study comprised 6,654 respondents made up of 258 principals and 6,396 teachers in all the public secondary schools in Anambra State. Proportionate stratified sampling technique was used to draw 665 respondents made up of 26 principals and 639 teachers. A researcher-developed questionnaire titled ‘Principals’ Personnel Management Practices for Teachers’ Job Performance Questionnaire (PPMPTJPQ)’ was used for data collection. The instrument was validated by three experts; who are lecturers from Faculty of Education, Nnamdi Azikiwe University. Cronbach alpha was used for test of internal consistency of PPMPTJPQ and the overall indices obtained for instrument was 0.89. The researcher together with five research assistants collected data for the study using direct administration method and 98% return rate was recorded. Mean and standard deviation scores were used to answer the research questions, while t-test was used to test the hypotheses. The findings of the study revealed among others that the orientation practices applied by principals for improving teachers’ job performance are: introduce the newly recruited teachers to members of staff, brief newly recruited teachers on the school rules and regulations, educate newly recruited teachers on various safety measures in the school, inform newly recruited teachers of the co-curricular activities in school, enlighten teachers on ways of handling misbehaved students, brief newly recruited staff on classroom management and enlighten teachers on issues related to students discipline. Based on the findings, it was recommended among others that Post Primary School Service Commission should adequately train and enlighten with more robust orientation practices through annual seminars and workshops