The Effectiveness of Teachers in Nigerian Secondary Schools: The Role of Instructional Leadership of Principals

ABSTRACT

This study investigates the impact of principals’ instructional leadership practices on secondary school teachers’ effectiveness in the North Central Geo-Political Zone of Nigeria. To answer the research question of the study, the Principal Instructional Management Rating Scale (PIMRS) and the Virgilio Teacher Behaviour Inventory (VTBI) were administered to 389 teachers in 18 public secondary schools. The results indicate that instructional leadership, in terms of defining school mission; managing instructional programs; and developing a positive school learning climate, are significantly and positively associated with teachers’ effectiveness. Therefore, stakeholders in the education sector can make informed decisions and interventions to enhance teachers’ effectiveness through the principals for desirable learning outcomes. Similarly, school principals should focus more on instructional leadership practices that relate to teaching and learning in order to improve teachers’ effectiveness. This study adds to the existing knowledge on factors that determine teachers’ effectiveness in Africa, in particular, in Nigeria.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Notes

1. The major aspect of the reform is the foundation for the 6-3-3-4 to 9-3-4 system of education in Nigeria and a broad curriculum that is aimed at creating learning opportunity for all children. Prior to the 9-3-4 system, an aspect of the 6-3-3-4 is the Universal Basic Education (UBE) system. The UBE system requires children to spend six years in obtaining primary education, which is the education given to children between the ages of 6–12. Then, three years’ junior secondary education for ages 12–14, three years’ senior secondary education for ages 15–18, and four years’ university education for ages 18 and above. The junior secondary education consists of both prevocational and academic education. After successfully completing the junior secondary education, pupils are to proceed to the secondary level, where they would obtain comprehensive education with three years’ core curriculum designed to broaden pupils’ knowledge and outlook for future academic pursuit. The secondary level is where students sit for external examinations to obtain their O’levels and prepare for higher education. However, with the 9-3-4 system, basic education is nine years (six years’ primary and three years’ junior secondary). The policy saw the disarticulation of junior secondary schools from the senior secondary to form basic education schools.

2. Curriculum planning, policy review and development, professional update, public administration, public relations, school improvement, school business administration, school emergencies, staff development, student interaction and discipline, supervision and instructional support, system wide duties and student extracurricular activities (Chan & Pool, 2002; Smith & Andrews, 1989).

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Hafsat Aliyu Bada

Hafsat Aliyu Bada is a Principal Education Officer at the Kwara State Teaching Service Commission, Ilorin, Nigeria. She is currently a PhD candidate in Educational Management at the School of Education and Modern Languages, College of Art and Sciences, Universiti Utara Malaysia (UUM). She obtained her M.Ed. and B.Ed. in Educational Management from the Faculty of Education, University of Ilorin, Ilorin, Nigeria. Her research interests include educational leadership, teachers’ effectiveness and professional development in Africa.

Tengku Faekah Tengku Ariffin

Tengku Faekah Tengku Ariffin is an Associate Professor at the School of Education and Modern Languages, Universiti Utara Malaysia, and Editor-in-Chief of Malaysian Journal of Learning and Instruction. Her expert area is Educational Management, particularly Human Resource Management in Education. Her research interests and publications are on HRM or HRD in the educational context, focusing on teacher development and performance; and the surrounding factors such as leadership, organizational supporting factors, learning affordances, teacher behavior and personality.

Hasniza Binti Nordin

Hasniza Nordin is a senior lecturer at the School of Education and Modern Languages, Universiti Utara Malaysia. Hasniza is a PhD holder from University of Canterbury, New Zealand. Her research interests include ICT integration, TPACK, teacher as change agent, community of practice, blended learning, immersive learning, digital pedagogy and MOOC. Her current research concerns on best practices of blended learning implementation in higher institution and the effectiveness of web-based learning management system in teaching and learning.  Currently, Hasniza is a Deputy Director at University Teaching and Learning Centre. Her main responsibilities include planning for trainings related to teaching and learning.