Sky Journal of Educational Research Sky Journal of Educational Research Vol. 4(5), pp. 048-052, July, 2016 Available online http://www.skyjournals.org/sjer ISSN 2354-4406 2016 Sky Journals Full Length Research Paper The influence of principals role perception on the secondary school groups interpersonal relations in Makurdi metropolis of Benue State, Nigeria Magdalene Apemtem Damkor-Ikpa, Kwararafa University, Wukari, Taraba State, Nigeria. Email: mdamikpa@gmail.com. Tel.:+2348136853805. Accepted 25 June, 2016 The study investigated the influence of Principals Role Perception on Interpersonal Relations in Secondary Schools. It emphasized that the way the principal perceives the staff role performance affects their group relationship. Descriptive survey design were used. The population was five hundred and twenty seven for both principals and teachers with a sample of sixty-five. The instrument used for data collection was a teacher-made questionnaire. To answer the two research questions, standard deviation was used to analyze the research questions. From the analysis, it was concluded that four types of interpersonal relations and group relationships existed and the principal s role perception does not have negative influence on the group interpersonal relations. The study recommended that the nature of interpersonal and group relations in secondary school administration should continue to be cordial to enhance the achievement of educational goals. Key words: Principal, role perception, interpersonal relations, influence, school groups. INTRODUCTION The principal is the head of the school, who oversees the daily running of the secondary school, who Mbiopom (2000) said must be found accountable and lots of interpersonal relations, especially among the cycles of his/her staff. The way the principal sees or perceives his/her staff s roles in the school, invariably affects the principal s perception and his/her personal relationship with them. There is the need for cordial, good and healthy interpersonal relation in every organization. This forms the basis for interpersonal influence which is experienced through communications and through behaviourial changes. The school is a social system where there is need for cordial interpersonal relations, be it large or small groups. These groups in the school usually help the school administrators achieve the organization s set objectives, which according to Beach (1980), enhance principals management of the people in their schools, with distinct privileges and roles (Tor-Anyiin, 2004). To Akpakwu (2012 a ), the school principal performs many administrative tasks towards the proper operations of the school, while people may not need to like the administrator personally, they have to find administrators how he/she relate interpersonally with the staff s different groups and how these groups relate interpersonally in school with themselves (Ukejeet al., 1992). There are instances of poor interpersonal relations in a school system, which usually leads to low achievement of the organization s main objectives, especially in large schools where members are more. There are likely to be crises and conflicts among staff in such an organizational set up. According to Damkor-Ikpa (2000), school system is an organization that is made up of people with welldefined positions and functions. The activities of the people in a school setting should be properly articulated, managed and coordinated if the goals are to be achieved. The implication is that, the behavioural patterns usually exhibited by the school administrator among staff and students of the school should be geared towards reaching the overall goals to which the school is set up. (Akpakwu, 2012 b ). To Akpakwu (2012 b ), this was how the
Damkor-Ikpa 49 more modern concept of participative management evolved and is being sustained. There are also several informal groups as well as the formal groups that make up the school system. The reason for some of the informal groups is to satisfy some psychological and social needs that the formal organization may not have addressed. Formal groups according to Sanford (1973), are the systems of activityauthority relationships designed to achieve specific objectives. This implies that formal groups have conscious common goals, highly defined structure and formal leadership. Formal groups therefore, include business firms, schools, churches, work groups, work teams, quality circles amongst others. These formal groups have several distinguishing characteristics which are conscious and common to all members and they are structured in a hierarchy. In formal organizations, there is formal leadership whose authority is delegated to positions and activities to avoid what Denga and Akuto (2004) call possible sources of conflicts in the school. The main focus of the study is on formal groups in formal organizations such as the school. This is because of its great influence on human elements in organizations on goal accomplishment. The behaviour of people in formal organizations is influenced by informal groups and also attempts to exert external control over people outside the group such as management. Much of this external control is exerted indirectly by regulating the behaviour of informal group members, what Agogo (2010) calls controlling the excesses of management units within and outside the system. According to Sanford (1973), informal groups are the aggregates of interpersonal and organizational relationships not specifically provided for and/or required by formal groups. Informal groups however, exist in addition to the formal ones and they have unconscious goals, social satisfaction and social control amongst others. They compensate for the inadequacy of formal groups in providing individual need satisfaction, especially as societies and organizations change with respect to composition, values and ideals (Uever, 2004). Informal groups are unofficial relationships that are developed by personnels within an organization. These include interest groups, friendship groups, welfare scheme groups, staff clubs, Associations, coffee drinking clubs, Adasis, community associations and attachments. These groups add value to governance in schools as well as interpersonal evaluations (Akpakwu, 2012 b ). He emphasized that the educational managers should maintain interpersonal attitude towards his/her staff to encourage job performance. People in formal organizations establish informal organizational and social relationships to compensate for the inadequacy of the needed satisfaction provided by the formal organization. These formal relations have both beneficial and detrimental effects on the formal organizations; but if they are understood and accepted, they can be influenced so their benefits are maximized and detriments minimized. According to Luthans (1985), the activities of these informal groups should also be harnessed towards realizing the objectives of the organization. This helps to motivate staff for greater goal attainment and better job satisfaction (Pintrich and Schunk, 2002). The implication is that, organization s members relate personally and cordially with each other, irrespective of gender. Such members in a formal group may also belong to informal groups within the organization if there are good reasons to do so. This is very important, especially in human engineering. (Denga, 2008). In this study, interpersonal relations refer to bonds of friendship, interactions and co-operations which exist between individual workers in their workplaces, here, it is the school system. Where there is harmony, the group members work towards a common goal as they interact with one another and with the principal, who is the head of the organization. Denga (1982) conceptualized informal group within a formal organization as a set of group, friends, association or attachments that develop when people are placed in a close and regular proximity with one another. Such a relationship should be sustained and maintained for harmonious co-existence. Purpose of the study The purpose of the study is to find out the influence of principals role perception on interpersonal relations in secondary schools. It seeks ways to improve on the international effectiveness as perceived by the secondary school principals. Specifically, it sought to find out: i.) The type of interpersonal relations that exist in the secondary school system ii.) The influence of principals role perception on interpersonal relations in secondary schools. Research questions The following research questions were raised and answered: 1. What type of interpersonal and group relations exist in the secondary school system? 2. What is the influence of principals role perception on interpersonal relations in secondary schools? METHODOLOGY It is expected that the result of this study may provide necessary information for understanding the school
50 Sky. J. Educ. Res. Table 1. The nature of interpersonal and group relations that exist in the secondary schools system. Area of cordial relation Large school Small school Cordial staff to staff relation 3.23 1.32 3.46 1.22 Cordial principal to staff relation 2.87 1.29 3.19 1.23 Cordial staff to student relation 2.79 1.36 2.78 1.29 Key X= Mean = Standard deviation. environment, be it in large or small schools within the context of human relationships. The instrument used in this study is the questionnaire titled The Nature of Interpersonal Relationship in Schools. It is means to assess the influence of the principals role perception on interpersonal relations in secondary schools and the type of interpersonal and group relations that exists in the school system. Respondents were required to complete the questionnaires according to their opinion and rank the answer according to their effectiveness. The study employed survey design. This is in agreement with Emaikwu (2006), who said that most survey are basically enquiries into the status quo because they attempt to measure what exists without asking the reason behind the existence. The population for this research consists of 27 principals, from which 15 were selected and 500 teachers from which 50 were selected using stratified random sampling technique. The researcher developed a questionnaire as the instrument for data collection. The questionnaire was divided into four sections, section A, B, C and D. Section A deals with the personal data of respondents such as sex, age, name of the school, teaching experience, number of years as principal, educational qualifications. Section B consists of three items that call for respondents information on interpersonal relationship in the administration of secondary schools. Section C comprises of five items that call for respondents information on the existence of groups and their influence in Administration of large and small secondary schools. Section D consists of five items that call for respondents information on the Principal s Perception of his role and his interpersonal relationship in the administration of large and small secondary school. Sections B, C and D consist of Likert Scale of five parameters of Strongly Agree (SA), Agree (A), Undecided (U), Disagree (D) and Strongly Disagree (). The respondents were required to tick ( ) in the box that best satisfies their knowledge and understanding of the problem under investigation. A response of fifty percent and above is seen as acceptable with the indication of the prevalence of the problem while forty nine percent and below is negligible and not accepted. To test its reliability, it was trial-tested which gave a reliable coefficient of 0.73. This was accepted to be used for the study. The data collected were analyzed using standard deviation, simple percentages and frequency calculations. The questionnaire was administered to both teachers and principals. RESULTS The data were answered based on their relevance to the research questions earlier raised. Research question 1 What is the type of interpersonal and group relations that exist in secondary schools in Makurdi metropolis? In Table, the response mode was structured and weighted on a five point ikert Scale, any (x) mean that is less than 3.00 cut off point is considered a negative statement. From Table 1, one of the three types of interpersonal relations is positively weighted in large and small school. This means that cordial relationship between principal and staff and between principal and students do not exist whether in large or small schools. The degree of their non-existence is more serious in large school. This is because the x as the means score is lower in each of these areas for large schools. However, cordial relationship between staff and staff is positively weighted in both large and small schools, and positive only in principal to staff only in small schools. Research question 2 In Table 2, items i, ii and iii for both large and small schools are positively weighted including item iv for small school. Item iv for large school is negatively weighted, that is principal s role perception does not encourage the formation of social groups in large and small schools. Research question 2 In Table 2, items i, ii and iii for both large and small schools are positively weighted including item iv for small
Damkor-Ikpa 51 Table 2. What is the influence of principals role perception on interpersonal relations in secondary schools? Area of influence Large school Small school Principals role perception negatively hinders progress in large and small schools. 3.45 1.20 3.22 1.33 Could generate conflict among staff and lower 3.03 1.31 3.23 1.32 productivity in large and small schools Could hinder or bring cooperation among staff and students in large and small schools 3.07 1.31 3.12 1.29 iv. Encourage the formation of social groups in 2.97 1.39 3.09 1.29 large and small schools school. Item iv for large school is negatively weighted, that is principal s role perception does not encourage the formation of social groups in large and small schools. Discussion of findings The study found that cordial relationship either between staff and staff for large and small schools and between principal and staff for small schools do exist. The degree of non-existence of cordial relationship among some school system personnel is more serious in large schools. According to Peretomode (2006), cordial relationships that exist between the principal and other groups in a system are vital to the school administrator. Such formal and informal organizations help to bring strength and vitality to an organization such as the school. This is possible because Ukeje et al. (1992) opined that every person or group in the organization should know to whom and what he (they) is responsible. This will help bring about cooperation among the people or the group in the organization. The implications of these can be quite disturbing, because of the school system which is designed to achieve educational goals exist without cordiality among staff, students and principals, like nothing can be achieved. There will be total or near lack of cooperation amongst students, teachers and principals in pursuing the goals of teaching and learning. To Akpakwu (2012a), once an employee begins to accept group values, it becomes difficult to distinguish fact from fiction. This is why Damkor-Ikpa (2000) informed that, interpersonal and group relations in any administration should not be based on fiction but on reality to determine the cause effect. It is expected therefore, that school administrators should be practical and open minded to be able to understand his people in the various groups that make up the school structure. In this study, the principals role perception does not have a negative influence on school goals achievement nor foster non-cordial relationship. It also does not encourage social groupings nor lower staff productivity through generation of conflicts. The chances of principals role perception having these influences however, are stronger in small schools than large schools as evidenced in this study. This is same with Ukeje, Akabogu and Ndu (1992) who maintained that formal organizations like school should have defined role perceptions for the operators in the organization. This study revealed that the principals role perception does not have negative influence on school goals achievement or foster non-cordial relationship. The role perception of the principal on interpersonal and group relations is very important in the overall running of small or large school system. Sanford (1973) posits that school administrators conceive their role as important for cordial relationship since all relationships are very crucial in achieving school goals. This is very important in human resource management and control (Onah, 2003). To enhance interpersonal relation, there is the need to emphasize on excessive rules and regulations and their strict adherence to them (Akpakwu, 2012b), which helps to enhance job performance and fosters co-existence. Conclusion Interpersonal and group relations in administration of secondary schools is very vital, as they go a long way in enhancing learning environment for the achievement of educational goals, if they are properly managed. The school administrators should therefore, take their tasks of leadership seriously to ensure cordial and harmonious learning environment and to cater for the needs of the members for maximum productivity. This means that there is the need for the school administrators to carry everyone along in their administration so as to achieve the school set goals and objectives. Recommendations The following recommendations are made based on the findings in this study: i.) The nature of interpersonal and group relations in secondary schools administration should be made non-
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