ASSESSMENT OF EXTENT OF PRINCIPALS’ COMPLIANCE WITH FEDERAL GOVERNMENT STUDENTS’ SUPPORT SERVICES FOR EFFECTIVE MANAGEMENT OF UNITY SCHOOLS IN SOUTH-EAST, NIGERIA.

Abstract

The study assessed extent of principals’ compliance with federal government students’ support services for effective management of unity schools in South-East, Nigeria. Two research questions guided the study and two null hypotheses were tested at 0.05 level of significance. Descriptive survey research design was adopted for the study. The population of the study comprised 1,877 respondents of which 12 are principals and 1,865 are teachers in the twelve Federal unity schools in South-East, Nigeria. The sample for the study is 758 respondents of which 12 are principals and 758 are teachers drawn using multistage sampling procedure. A researcher-developed instrument titled ‘‘Principals’ Compliance with Federal Ministry of Education Students’ Support Services for Effective Management Questionnaire (PCFMESSSEMQ)’’ was used for data collection. The instrument was validated by three experts of which two were from the Department of Educational Management and Policy, and one in Measurement and Evaluation Unit in the Department of Educational Foundations, all from Faculty of Education, Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka. Cronbach alpha was used for a test of internal consistency of the instrument which yielded reliability coefficients of 0.79 and 0.81 for Clusters I and II respectively with an overall coefficient of 0.80. Mean and standard deviation were used to answer the research questions, while t-test was used to test the null hypotheses. The findings of the study revealed among others that there was a low extent to which principals comply with Federal Government students’ health services for effective management of unity schools in South-east, Nigeria. It was also found that principals comply with Federal Government students’ guidance and counselling services for effective management of unity schools in South-east, Nigeria to a high extent. Based on the findings, it was recommended among others, that the there is need for sustained improvement in principals’ provision of health support services to students through appeal to Philanthropists, community-based and non-government organizations for funds to regularly conduct medical test for students, improve the supply of portable drinking water and other health support services.