Principals’ Leadership Skills and Administrative Practices as Predictors of Sustainable Peaceful Learning Environment in Secondary Schools

Abstract

This study investigated principals’ leadership skills and administrative practices as predictors of sustainable peaceful learning environment in secondary schools in South East, Nigeria. Three research questions and three hypotheses guided the study. The study adopted a correlational survey design with a population of 1,151 principals in the 1,151 secondary schools in South East, Nigeria. There are 222 principals in Abia State; 221 in Anambra State; 194 in Ebonyi State, 268 in Enugu State; and 246 in Imo State. Based on the population, a sample size of 250 principals was drawn using stratified random sampling technique representing 21.7% of the population. The instruments used for data collection were Questionnaire titled: Principals’ Leadership Skills’ Questionnaire (PLSQ); Principals’ Administrative Practices Questionnaire (PAPQ); and Peaceful Learning Environment Questionnaire (PLEQ) developed by the researchers. The items of the instruments were structured using the Modified Likart four-point rating scale of: Strongly Agree, Agree, Disagree, and Strongly Disagree. The internal consistencies of the instruments were determined using Chronbac Alpha method on a sample of 20 principals from secondary schools in Benue State, which yielded reliability indices of 0.94 for Principals’ Leadership Skills’ Questionnaire (PLSQ). The reliability index of 0.92 was determined for Principals’ Administrative Practices Questionnaire (PAPQ); and 0.88 was determined for sustainable Peaceful Learning Environment Questionnaire (PLEQ). In analyzing the data, linear regression was used to answer research questions one and two, while multiple regression was used to answer the research question three. In testing the hypotheses, t-test associated with linear regression was used to test hypotheses one and two, while Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) associated with multiple regression was used to test hypothesis three at a 0.05 alpha significant levels. The findings revealed among others that, there is a joint predictive power of principals’ leadership skills and administrative practices on sustainable peaceful learning environment of secondary schools. The test of hypothesis showed that, there are joint significant predictive powers of principals’ leadership skills and administrative practices on sustainable peaceful learning environment of secondary schools. Based on the findings, recommendations were made.