A COMPARATIVE STUDY OF MANAGEMENT PRACTICES OF PUBLIC AND PRIVATE SCHOOLS IN NIGERIA: CASE STUDY OF ORU-WEST LGA, IMO STATE

CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

1. BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY

Management is a term with nuances of meaning and defined in various ways. Babalola (2006) defined it as simply being in charge or being in control. Mgbodile (2003) and Duze (2003) saw management as leadership aimed at influencing group activity toward objectives/goals accomplishment. It is thus the behaviour of the man in leadership position, when he is carrying out such vital functions of administration which include planning, organizing, directing, controlling, coordinating and evaluating activities, aimed at achieving the goals of the establishment or organization. Also, they opined that leadership style refers to management as a set method or behavioural approach adopted by a leader in his effort to manipulate the important correlates of administration – the men, the job and the materials, toward goal achievement. But Farmer and Richman in Okoli (2007) provided a most all inclusive view that: Management involves strategy, innovation, initiating about change, creative problem-solving and decision-making, actively seeking out alternatives and opportunities, reformulating goals and priorities, redeploying resources, negotiating, resolving conflicts, dynamic or active leadership diplomacy, statesmanship and a high degree of risk-taking and entrepreneurship. This implies that management is a process by which managers create, direct, maintain and operate purposive organizations through coordinated cooperative human efforts to accomplish as effectively and efficiently as could be set objectives and goals. Underlying the understanding of management then is the existence of an organization with a set goal or aim, and with members who have roles assigned to them, and then a person at the top who coordinates activities to attain the already set goals of the organization. This person at the top is often seen as the leader. This means that a manager is often performing also in the position of a leader. His leadership styles will also affect or influence goal/objective attainment. Educational management can be conceived as being able to handle carefully and un-wastefully what happens in the process of educating people so that everything works out according to plan (Babalola, 2006). He explains further that educational management goes along with the quest to put the school system under control, regulation or supervision in its attempts to effectively and efficiently organize available scarce resources through cooperative efforts when establishing institutions of learning, enrolling learners, attracting best staff, conducting teaching, learning, and research, as well as graduating learners at all levels of education. In doing these, it involves planning, organizing, directing, controlling, coordinating, staffing, and budgeting. According to him, a good educational manager will be one who works with staff and students with fewer complaints about failure rates, dropout rates, repetition rates, retention rates, absenteeism, wastages, sicknesses, strike actions, and unfinished work. Education is seen by most countries as the foundation to any worthwhile development. As such, its management in a country has a lot to contribute to the future and overall development of that country. Since the school as an organization entails management, the school administrator has the duty to manage human, financial and material resources for the effective and efficient implementation of the school programmes and for maintenance of the school plant. This way, the requisite education to be given to the populace can be adequately managed for maximum productivity and attainment of the nation’s educational goals (Duze, 2005). Management in education would then include such key areas as staff/personnel management, school plant and facilities management, financial management and social relation management.

1.2 STATEMENT OF PROBLEM

School administration involves coordinating human and material resources adequately for the enhancement of teaching and learning processes. Efficient and effective school management is indispensable since it sustains the education system as well as stimulates adequate teaching and learning. It promotes high students’ academic achievement and maximizes staff job productivity. The state schools board in Nigeria in general is characterized by inadequate funding, inadequate staffing, and inadequate equipment and facilities. However, good management, in spite of these adverse conditions could help in the attainment of set objectives. This means that good school management is positively correlated with high students’ academic performance. Consequently, it is pertinent that head of schools should consistently identify and implement strategies which foster healthy administrative atmosphere in their schools. It is believed that performance in private schools is higher than in public ones and research findings are controversial and have not said the last word about the sources of difference. It could be that the observed differences in students’ academic performance in the two categories of schools may be linked with the head of schools management strategies. Previous studies in Nigeria may not have specifically compared management strategies in public and private schools. The question is: Is there any difference in the management strategies adopted public and private secondary schools in Nigeria?

1.3. AIMS AND OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY

The major aim of the study is to evaluate management practices of public and private schools in Nigeria. Other specific objectives are as follows;

1. To examine the nature of public and private schools in Nigeria
2. To examine the ideology toward public and private schooling in Nigeria.
3. To examine the effect of management practices on teaching and learning in private and public schools.
4. To examine the challenges in managing public and private schools in Nigeria.
5. To examine the relationship between management practices and effective teaching and learning in public and private schools.
6. To suggest ways for improving on good managerial practices of public and private schools in Nigeria.

1.4. RESEARCH QUESTIONS

1. What is the nature of public and private schools in Nigeria?
2. What is the ideology toward public and private schooling in Nigeria?
3. What are the effect of management practices on teaching and learning in private and public schools?
4. What are the challenges in managing public and private schools in Nigeria?
5. What is the relationship between management practices and effective teaching and learning in public and private schools?
6. What are the ways for improving on good managerial practices of public and private schools in Nigeria?

1.5. RESEARCH HYPOTHESES

H₀: There is no significant effect of management practices on teaching and learning in private and public schools in Nigeria.

H₁: There is a significant effect of management practices on teaching and learning in private and public schoolsin Nigeria.

1.6. SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY

The findings of this study will be of great importance to education planners, administrators, stakeholders, instructors, government, non-governmental organizations (NGOs), future researchers, students and the society at large. It will equip education planners, administrators and stakeholders in the education sector with relevant information on the extent to which management practices can enhance teaching and learning in public and private schools, development of instructional objectives and methods of evaluation hinder their educational outcome. It will equally provide them with information on the strategies for enhancing the managerial competencies in their teaching/learning endeavours, which will result to effective planning and implementation of education programmes. It will also provide them with useful database for further research on how to achieve the goal of effective education teaching/learning processes. The findings of this study will provide the government, NGOs and future researchers with useful data on how management structures can enhance teaching and learning in the public and private schools. It will equally provide them with useful information on the management strategies for enhancing effective teaching/learning processes in public and private schools.

1.7. SCOPE OF THE STUDY

The study is restricted to management practices of public and private schools in Nigeria, case study of Oru west L.G.A, Imo state.

1.8 LIMITATION OF STUDY

Financial constraint– Insufficient fund tends to impede the efficiency of the researcher in sourcing for the relevant materials, literature or information and in the process of data collection (internet, questionnaire and interview).

Time constraint– The researcher will simultaneously engage in this study with other academic work. This consequently will cut down on the time devoted for the research work.

1.8 DEFINITION OF TERMS

Management: Is the organization and coordination of the activities of a business in order to achieve defined objectives. The directors and managers have the power and responsibility to make decisions and oversee an enterprise. The size of management can range from one person in a small organization to hundreds or thousands of managers in diverse institutions.