PRINCIPALS’ ADMINISTRATIVE APPROACH AND SOCIAL SECURITY IMPASSE IN PUBLIC SECONDARY SCHOOLS IN IMO STATE

Abstract

The level of security challenges in the South East of Nigeria, with particular reference to Imo State
these days, is quite alarming that one begins to wonder if there is still the maintenance of a smooth,
seamless academic programme that ensures that the academic calendar is not being truncated in our
secondary schools. The challenges related to social security can significantly hinder secondary
school principals' ability to administer effectively. Principals must therefore become proactive in
planning for instructional programmes as well as balance the need for a secure environment with the
promotion of a positive school climate and conducive to learning. All these warrant the need to carry
out a study to investigate how effective the principals’ administrative approaches are in maintaining
a seamless instructional programme, as well as safe school environment. Two research questions
were posed for this study. The research design adopted is correlational. Related literatures were
reviewed and relevant theory adopted. A sample of six hundred and ninety (690) was adopted. The
questionnaire and rating scales were used as instruments for data collection. Data collected were
analyzed using the Pearson r, for answering of research questions. Findings of the study included
that: there is very high positive relationship between principals’ instructional progamme
administrative approach and social security impasse in secondary schools in Imo State. Based on the
findings, it was recommended among others that principals should do more by learning to adopt the
use of online and weekend instructional administrative approaches to make up for the lost Mondays
and other days due to the Sit at Home orders.