Title: Stakeholders' Participation In Funding And Principals' Competency In School Plant Management In Public Secondary Schools In Delta State, Nigeria
Authors: Esanubi, Ogaga AND Prof. N. E. Akpotu
Volume: 9
Issue: 2
Pages: 160-166
Publication Date: 2025/02/28
Abstract:
This study examines the relationship between stakeholders' participation in funding and principals' competency in school plant management in public secondary schools in Delta State, Nigeria. A correlational research design within an ex-post facto framework was adopted. The study population consisted of 479 principals and 14,877 teachers from 479 public secondary schools in Delta State, totaling 15,356 individuals. A multi-stage sampling technique was used to select a sample of 424 participants, comprising 139 principals and 285 teachers from 13 local government areas. Data were collected through a validated and reliable questionnaire titled "Stakeholders' Participation in Funding and Principals' Competence in School Plant Management in Public Secondary Schools" (SPFPCSPMPSS), which had a reliability coefficient of 0.73. Descriptive statistics, including mean and standard deviation, were used to analyze research questions, while Pearson Product Moment Correlation Coefficient (PPMC) and linear regression were applied to test the hypothesis at a 0.05 level of significance. Findings revealed that stakeholders' participation in funding school plant management was generally low, with key contributors being old students' associations, civil societies, government, parent-teacher associations, and religious bodies. However, contributions from teachers, students' development fees, and political representatives were notably low. Principals' competency in school plant management was found to be high, as they demonstrated efficiency in procurement, financial management, and transparency. A significant positive relationship (r = 0.628, p < 0.05) was found between stakeholders' participation in funding and principals' competency in school plant management, accounting for 39.4% of the variance in principals' competency. Based on these findings, it is recommended that policymakers and education stakeholders strengthen collaborative efforts to enhance funding mechanisms for school infrastructure, thereby improving the overall management of school plants in Delta State.