Principals’ Sanitary Self-Concept and Faeces Management Practices in Secondary Schools in Cross River State, Nigeria

Abstract

Human faeces-related diseases account for many deaths in the country. Proper faeces management and adequate sanitation have become the focal agenda all over the world.  Principals’ self concept, perception, or predisposition toward sanitation in secondary schools in the study area has been observed as one of the factors militating against effective faeces management practices in their schools. Most principals especially in the rural secondary schools tend to neglect the issue of faeces management due to poor funding, inadequate faeces management methods and inability of government to employ the right personnel to manage the faeces.  To achieve this purpose of the study, one specific objective was raised which was converted to one research question and then transformed to research hypothesis for the study. Literature was also reviewed in line with the research variable. Survey research design was used for the study. The research area is Cross River State. The target population of the study was 273 principals of public secondary schools in the three Education Zones of Cross River State (Ministry of Education, Calabar, Cross River State; 2015/2016 academic year). The instrument employed for data collection was the questionnaire, which was designed by the researcher to test the items. Cronbach Alpha method of reliability was used to determine the reliability estimate of the instrument which was 0.64. Independent t-test analysis was used for data analysis. The findings of the study revealed that principals’ sanitary self concept significantly influence their faeces management practices in secondary schools in Cross River State, Nigeria. It was recommended among others that principals should ensure that more toilet facilities are provided in their schools to meet the demand of both staff and students; and should be made accessible to them to prevent the dangers involved in moving long distances especially in the rural areas before using the facilities.