Organizational Communication and Teachers’ Productivity in Secondary Schools in Ondo State, Nigeria

Adeolu Joshua Ayeni ,Oluwatoyin O Akinola

doi:10.7176/jep/11-17-11

Abstract

There has been persistent deep concern by stakeholders in the education sector over the perceived inadequacies in the communication approaches and dwindling level of productivity in Nigerian secondary schools. This study therefore examined the efficacy of principals’ communication strategies and level of teachers’ productivity. It further investigated constraints faced in communication process in secondary schools in Ondo State, Nigeria. Three research questions and one hypothesis guided the study. Descriptive survey research design was adopted. Data were collected using instruments titled “Principals’ Communication Strategies and Teachers’ Productivity Questionnaire” (PCSTPQ). Multi-stage sampling technique was used to select 60 secondary schools from the three senatorial districts in Ondo State. Participants comprised 60 principals and 1200 teachers. Data were analyzed using frequency count, percentage and Pearson Product Moment Correlation (PPMC) at alpha level of 0.05. Findings indicated significant relationship between principals’ communication strategies and teachers’ productivity (r-cal=0.680, p<0.05). The major constraints to communication are: poor internet connection, delay in information processing which often cause delay in decision-making process, and lack of modern communication facilities to enhance teachers’ productivity. It is hereby recommended that the government in collaboration with other relevant stakeholders in education should give top priority to the provision of adequate internet, information processing facilities, and build principals’ and teachers’ capacities in digital knowledge-based pedagogy and communication skills to improve productivity in secondary schools. Keywords: Organization, principals, teachers, communication strategies, productivity. DOI: 10.7176/JEP/11-17-11 Publication date: June 30th 2020

Highlights

IntroductionThe secondary school is a formal organization and a social system made up of a group of educators (principals, teachers) whose knowledge, skills and experience complement each other in various disciplines and working together in a connected structure within and across departments that are coordinated by the top management members (principal, vice principal, and heads of departments) to ensure successful implementation of the school curricula and co-curricular activities in the training of students to achieve educational goals
The secondary school is a formal organization and a social system made up of a group of educators whose knowledge, skills and experience complement each other in various disciplines and working together in a connected structure within and across departments that are coordinated by the top management members to ensure successful implementation of the school curricula and co-curricular activities in the training of students to achieve educational goals
It is hoped that the outcome of this study could create more awareness and serves as reference point for educational planners, policy makers, principals, teachers and other relevant stakeholders in the education sector on the need to improve on communication strategies for optimal productivity in secondary schools

Summary

Introduction

The secondary school is a formal organization and a social system made up of a group of educators (principals, teachers) whose knowledge, skills and experience complement each other in various disciplines and working together in a connected structure within and across departments that are coordinated by the top management members (principal, vice principal, and heads of departments) to ensure successful implementation of the school curricula and co-curricular activities in the training of students to achieve educational goals. The principal being the instructional leader is expected to be the driving force for effective curriculum delivery It is the task of the principal to device appropriate measures to ensure that all the teachers comply with the laid down rules and regulations in the performance of their instructional tasks. In spite of the awareness of the goals of secondary education by the principals and teachers, the levels of students who obtained five credits and above in subjects including English Language and Mathematics in the West African Senior School Certificate Examinations (WASSCE)) were relatively low and fluctuating between 2016 and 2018, and reflected the following percentages in 2016 (52.97%), 2017 (59.22%) and 2018 (49.98%) in Nigeria (Adenipekun, 2018). This study is important that the global best practices placed emphasis on the modern trends (digital technology) and communication strategies which enhance research, innovation, creativity, www.iiste.org networking, knowledge dissemination, skills development, resource coordination and sustainable improvement in teachers’ productivity in secondary schools. It is hoped that the outcome of this study could create more awareness and serves as reference point for educational planners, policy makers, principals, teachers and other relevant stakeholders in the education sector on the need to improve on communication strategies for optimal productivity in secondary schools

Methods

Results

Conclusion