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Advances in Social Sciences Research Journal – Vol.7, No.10

Publication Date: October 25, 2020

DOI:10.14738/assrj.710.9142.

Ukala, C. C. (2020). Administrative Strategies For Effective Teaching In Basic Education In The Era Of Frozen Moment In Rivers State,

Nigeria. Advances in Social Sciences Research Journal, 7(10) 27-36.

Administrative Strategies For Effective Teaching In Basic Education

In The Era Of Frozen Moment In Rivers State, Nigeria

Dr. Chinyere Catherine Ukala

Department of Educational Management

Faculty of Education

University of Port Harcourt

ABSTRACT

The study explored administrative strategies for effective teaching in

basic schools in the era of frozen moment in Rivers State, Nigeria. Three

research questions were answered while three hypotheses were tested.

The study adopted an analytic survey research design with a population

of 247 headteachers in 247 public basic schools in Rivers State. The

sample size is 172 headteachers representing 70% of the population of

the headteachers. The sample size was arrived at using proportionate

stratified random sampling technique. An instrument titled

Administrative Strategies for Effective Teaching Scale (ASETS) was used

for data collection. Face and content validities were ensured by experts

in Educational Management as well as Test and Measurement in the

University of Port Harcourt. The internal consistency reliability

coefficient of 0.83 was computed for ASETS through Cronbach alpha

statistical method. Mean and standard deviation were used to answer

the research questions while z-test was used to test the hypotheses at

0.05 level of significance. It was found that the headteachers can use

reward management system as well as online supervision of their

teachers’ academic preparation progress to enhance their teaching

effectiveness. It was also found that the headteachers have the problem

of time management and financial incapacity to carry out online

administrative functions. It was recommended among others that the

headteachers and local and state governments should assist the

teachers in procuring electronic gadgets by giving them soft loans. The

headteachers should cultivate the attitude of making use of online

platform to disseminate information to the teachers for teaching

effectiveness.

Keywords: Administration Strategies, Teaching Effectiveness, and Frozen

Moment.

INTRODUCTION

Basic education comprises of early childhood education, primary education and lower secondary

education. It is the education given to children between ages of 2-15 years (Federal Republic of

Nigeria, 2014). Since the study is hinged on basic education, emphasis will be more on those that

are in the primary schools. The goals of basic education by FRN (2014:6) are to:

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Advances in Social Sciences Research Journal (ASSRJ) Vol.7, Issue 9, September-2020

a. Provide the child with diverse basic knowledge and skills for entrepreneurship, wealth

generation and educational advancement;

b. Develop patriotic young people equipped to contribute to social development and in the

performance of their civic responsibilities;

c. Inculcate values and raise morally upright individuals capable of independent thinking, and

who appreciate the dignity of labour;

d. Inspire national conscientiousness and harmonious co-existence, irrespective of differences

in endowment, religion, colour, ethnic and socioeconomic background; and

e. Provide opportunities for the child to develop manipulative skills that will enable the child

function effectively in the society within the limits of the child’s capability.

Having highlighted the goals of basic education above, there is need to emphasis on the objectives

of primary education. Primary education is the education given to children aged 6-12 years (FRN,

2014). The objectives of basic education as enshrined in FRN (2014:10) are to:

a. Inculcate permanent literacy, numeracy and the ability to communicate effectively;

b. Lay a sound basis for scientific, critical and reflective thinking;

c. Promote patriotism, fairness, understanding and national unity;

d. Instil social moral norms and value in the child;

e. Develop in the child the ability to adapt to the changing environment; and

f. Provide opportunities for the child to develop life manipulative skills that will enable the

child function effectively in the society within the limits of the child’s capacity.

Headteachers are the administrative head of basic education. They oversee the administrative and

academic activities of the school. The headteachers take care of the teachers and ensure that they

carry out their duties effectively. The school heads carry out their administrative strategies in the

areas of school community relations, management of school finance, staff and student personnel

administration, evaluation, curriculum development, supervision of instructions (Ezeocha, 2000)

and reward management (Akubuo, 2019). The headteacher is duty bound to making sure that the

school enjoys cordial relationship and hospitality with the host community. He makes sure that the

school is in touch with the traditional ruler of the community. The school heads also ensure that the

school comity and the host community are always in a cordial relationship. Apart from the school

community relation, the school heads manage school finance.

The school finance plays a very prominent role for effective school administration and requires

proper attention. The school heads in collaboration with the bursar of the school carry out financial

planning and management. They outline the financial needs of the school and how to internally

generate money to solve these needs. More so, the headteachers play a significant role in curriculum

development and planning. They do this by enriching the curriculum and academic programmes

and activities in the school. Again, the school heads manage staff and student for greater efficiency

and effectiveness in their assigned responsibilities. Furthermore, the school heads supervise

instructions of teachers and teaching process.

Supervision is very paramount in the evaluation of teaching and learning process. Supervision

according to MEB in Kabiru (2014: 7) is the process of comparing the conformity of general tasks to

the specified aim within legislative framework, proposed basic principles and aims, accuracy,

orderliness, effectiveness, economy and efficiency of general tasks according to objectives, valid and

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URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.14738/assrj.710.9142 29

Ukala, C. C. (2020). Administrative Strategies For Effective Teaching In Basic Education In The Era Of Frozen Moment In Rivers State, Nigeria. Advances in

Social Sciences Research Journal, 7(10) 27-36.

reliable standards by taking resources, opportunities and conditions into consideration, finding out

oits state according to national standards and planned principles; providing guidance for repairable

deficiencies, presenting suggestions for providing mission and vision for development and change.

Supervision plays important role in life of the school. According to Asodike (2016: 23) some of the

important roles of the supervisor are:

• To determine the quality of teaching across the curriculum and by monitoring classroom;

• Provide quality in model lesson;

• Identify weakness of the school organization and management;

• Investigate complaints and attending committee meetings;

• Enforce professional discipline and adherence to correct standard of professional conduct in

the teaching force; and

• In collaboration with the Ministry of Education, evaluate, approve and advise schools on

textbooks and teaching materials.

Headteachers as supervisors play prominent roles by ensuring that teachers carry out their duties

in line with rules and regulations. They also evaluate the performance of the teaching processes.

The functions of the headteacher as a supervisor are more on teachers’ instructional processes.

Before the frozen moment or lockdown, supervision of instruction was carried out through the face- to-face analogue method. The frozen moment has discouraged physical and social distancing in all

areas of life endeavours including the school system. Online supervision contextually is the

supervision of teaching processes that go on using internet and electronic gadgets.

The headteachers are expected to engage their teachers in online instruction and supervision for

effective teaching. Effective teaching is very important in achieving school goals and objectives.

Teaching effectiveness and efficiency cannot not be lowered mostly now that the speculations are

that schools should use electronic learning (e-learning) platforms in their teaching and learning

activities in this frozen moment. Online supervision will help increase worker internet competence

(Olaruwaju, 2018). Carrying out online supervision of duties will help the supervisors to increase

the effectiveness of the worker (Esomchi, 2017). Supervision is very important in the school system

as it ensures quality educational delivery through forms of assessment and evaluation (Amaeze,

2016). The headteachers can strengthen their supervision process through effective reward

management.

Reward is the recognition of staff through material and non-material means for job well-done.

Material reward is when substantial gifts, money among others are given to hardworking staff. On

the other hand, non-material rewards are praises, clapping of hands, promotion among others.

Reward system is very important in getting the workers committed to their job. Reward on expected

behaviour will tend to strengthen such behaviour. Teachers morale is raised and sustained when

their immediate and future welfare are attended to (John, 2018). Reward is needed for teaching

effectiveness and efficiency (Ozioko, 2016). Without functional and suitable reward systems, the

teachers will be underachieving in their responsibilities (Grant, 2019). However, effective

supervision and reward system cannot strive without good administration.

School administration is the process of managing school programmes and activities. It involves the

management of the environment in order to provide conducive teaching and learning in the school.