ROLES OF ADMINISTRATIVE TEACHERS IN SECONDARY SCHOOLS
CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
1.1 BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY
The primary aim of any educational institution has to do with the improvement of the teaching and learning processes and all other activities of the school. The achievement of this aim is jointly carried out by the principal, the teachers and the entire members of staff of the school. The principal is however regarded as an administrator because of the way he handles, disciplines and summons the affairs of the school while the teachers activities help to determine the extent to which the school aims and objectives are achieved.
School administration is a function so broad in scope that no one person should do it alone. In which case, principal cannot carryout the administrative work alone. He would have to delegate some duties to the teachers. So, for an institution to fully realize its central purpose, it is important that the teacher, head of departments and principal should understand and accept their roles in the administration of the institution. During the colonial era, the role of the teachers was to be builders of public morality, practitioners of the virtue of Manuel labour and promotion of literacy learning. After the independence, the main role of the teachers is to help students to acquire knowledge, skills and social values and norms of the society.
Administration of the secondary school is becoming more complex because of the increase in size, scope and numbers. Administrative responsibility is no longer centered on the principal but also distributed around those involved in the instructional programme of the school. This had in no small measure added to the traditional roles of the teachers. The modern day teachers apart from making register, enforce punishment, imparting knowledge, maintaining, discipline, still have to play some other administrative roles. Some principals may not allow teachers to participate in decision making, if they did not accept the concept of sharing responsibility for decisions with non-administrative activities. This is influenced by two factors. The organizations factors which includes the goals size and types of the school. The personal factors, which include individual goals, experiences, dispositions and personal conception. In which case, the teachers role behaviour is determined by what he perceived his roles to be and the expectation hold of teaches role by the principal who is the administrative head of the school. It also depends on the type of draining in the college of education and is previous experience have a great influence on the way he perceives the environment. All these point will affect the role played in the school.
If there are differences between the principals expectations and the teachers perception of his role there may be conflict and this could lead to dissatisfaction and low moral on the part of the teachers.
1.2 STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEMS
In a typical secondary setting, the principal is at the helm of affairs, while the teachers play a supportive role. The roles of the teachers at time differ from the role of the principal, though both of them work hand-in-hand or the achievement of the institutional goals. The principal has his own role to play and he expects the teachers on the other hand to play their own different but complementary roles for the smooth running of the school. It is however, observed that as a result of the difference in their personality needs and psychological drives, teachers perception of their roles often fails toi agree with the expectation of principals in school administration. The divergence between principal and teachers expectations frequently result in poor interpersonal relationships between teachers and principals. Such lack of harmony tends to affect the effectiveness and efficiency of the school administration to the point that the attainment of the goals of education is affected.
1.3 PURPOSE OF THE STUDY
The main aim of the study is to improve the quality of education in Edo State. The subject objectives are as follows:
i. Findings out whether the roles the teachers are actually performing are in conformity with the principal’s expectation and the teachers own perception of such roles.
ii. Comparing the role and perception of experienced and inexperienced teachers on their professional duties.
iii. In case any disparity between the roles expected of the teachers by the principal and the actual performance of the teachers. It is the aim of the study to offer useful recommendations that could normalize the situation and bring about good interpersonal relationship between the principal and his/her members of the staff.
1.4 RESEARCH QUESTIONS
The following research question serve as a guide to the study;
1. What are the administrative role performed by the teachers?
2. Does age have any significant relationship on the administrative role performed by teachers?
3. Do years of experience have any influence on the administrative role expectation of teachers?
1.5 SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY
The government and the general public feel concerned of the relevant trends of educational system.
The public levels, criticism against what it perceives as low standard of education, moral laxity among children and mass failure in school certificate examination.
There is need for a type of school administration, which requires amnong all other things harmonious staff, interact-principals and teachers. It expected that the study will treat to an extent an understanding of some aspects of behavioural characteristics and provide school administration with better understanding of principals/teacher relationship to the overall benefit of education in Edo State
1.6 DEFINITION OF TERMS
Role: In this study, “role” is used broadly to refer to a set of expectation about the behavioural attitude considered appropriate for a person occupying a particular position.
Role Expectation: Role expectation is institutional demands confronting an incumbent of a given institutional position.
Role Perception: This is the way a person occupying a position, thinks how he ought to behave on an incumbent.
Role Reciprocity: The mutual understanding of what behaviour is expected of a position incumbent and what it in turn expects from those in lated positions, with whom he interacts.
Role Conflicts: In this study role conflict refers to a situation in which there is a discrepancy between the way teachers perceive their role and the way they think the principal wants them to behave.
Experienced Teacher: This refers to those whose teaching experience is five years and above.
Old Teachers: Teachers who are 35 years and above, who are likely to have taught for 10 years and above.
Young Teachers: Teachers whose ages are 30 years and below and taught for less than five years.