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Full Length Research Paper
Principals’
management of conflicts in public secondary schools in Ondo
State, Nigeria: A critical survey
T. O. Adeyemi
Department of Educational Foundations and Management,
University of Ado-Ekiti, P. M. B 5363, Ado-Ekiti, Nigeria.
E-mail:
toade1957@yahoo.com,
toadeyemi@yahoo.com
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Accepted 25 June, 2009
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This paper examined principals’ management of conflicts in
public secondary schools in Ondo State, Nigeria. As a
descriptive survey, the study population comprised all the
281 public secondary schools in
the State. Out of this population, a sample of 80 schools
was drawn while 340 respondents (80 principals and
260 teachers) were selected through the stratified random
sampling technique. A questionnaire was used to collect data
for the study. The data collected were analyzed using
percentages. The findings show that conflicts have not been
effectively managed by principals of schools because of
their inability to effectively utilize the strategies for
resolving conflicts. Based on the findings, it was
recommended that principals should inculcate the idea of
setting up of committees to resolve conflicts. Principals
should allow a free flow of information while communication
gap should be prevented. Principals should endeavour to make
use of dialogue strategy in managing conflicts in schools.
They should be sensitive to students’ grievances before the
grievances get out of hand. This could be done by having
discussions with students on pressing issues in the schools
and by allowing students to participate in decision-making.
Key words:
Principals, management, conflicts, public, secondary,
schools. |
