The Practice of School-Based Management in Ondo State Public Secondary Schools: Implication of School Location

Abstract

The practice of School-Based Management (SBM) has been widely liked to variety of wide positives in schools and increasingly acceptable in major developed and developing nations, however, the disposition and acceptance of the SMB policy remained unclear in Ondo State, Nigeria. In Nigeria, there is paucity of literature addressing the role of school location in the practice of SBM policy. This study, therefore examined the practicality of SBM in public secondary schools in Ondo State and the implication of school location. Descriptive survey design was adopted by the study. Key players from sixty (60) public secondary schools in Ondo State participated in the current study using purposive sampling techniques. In determine the efficiencies and effectiveness of School-Based Management Committees, participant were opened to Effective School-Based Management Index (E-SBM-INDEX). The instrument reported a strong overall Cronbach alpha of 0.97, while the subscales factors entails, power decentralization (α =.92); facilities obligation (α =.73); monitoring and evaluation (α =.65); recruitment and retrenchment (α =.85); and financial obligation (α =.71). Information on socio-demographic factors and geographical location of schools were also obtained from the participants. Descriptive analysis and T-Test of independent sample were used to analyze data and accepted at P < 0.05. Respondents’ mean age was 49.5±11.5 years. It was revealed that 35% of the public schools engaged practice effective SBM in Ondo State, while 65% of public schools engaged were practicing ineffective SBM. Furthermore, It was revealed that there was significant difference in the practice of SBM in rural and urban public secondary schools in Ondo State (T (58) = 26.60; P < 0.01), such that, public secondary schools located in the rural area ( = 75.20, SD = 1.80) practice effective SBM’s policy than counterparts located in the urban area ( = 34.97, SD = 02.67). Majorly the practice of SBM in public secondary school remained ineffective in Ondo State. The practice of SBM in rural and urban public secondary schools in Ondo State is significantly different. Public secondary schools located in the rural area of Ondo State practice effectively SBM’s policy than public secondary schools located in the urban area of Ondo State. It is recommended that the government should be pro-active in creating an enabling environment in terms of policy upon which SBM can be practice effectively and efficiently.