Influence of Principal Management Strategies in the Achievement of Quality Assurance in Public Secondary Schools in Southern Senatorial District of Taraba State, Nigeria

This study investigated influence of principal management strategies in the achievement of quality assurance in public secondary schools in Southern Senatorial District of Taraba State, Nigeria. Two specific objectives with corresponding research questions guided the study and two hypotheses were formulated and tested at 0.05 level of significance. The study adopted a survey research design, and was carried out in Southern Senatorial District of Taraba State, Nigeria. The population for this study was 1642 teachers from 132 public secondary schools in Southern Senatorial District of Taraba State. A total of 240 teachers representing 15% of the entire population were selected from 20 secondary schools also representing 15% of the entire secondary schools used for the study. The instrument used for data collection was a structured questionnaire titled “Principal Management Strategies in the achievement of Quality Assurance Questionnaire (PMSQAQ) which was developed by the researchers. The reliability of the instrument was estimated using Cronbach Alpha statistic and an overall reliability coefficient of 0.85 was obtained. The data was analyzed using Means and Standard Deviation to answer the research questions. Chi-Square Statistic to test the null hypotheses at 0.05 level of significance. Findings of the study revealed that; principals ability to satisfy staff needs to achieve efficiency positively influences quality assurance, assigning duties based on area specialization by principals assures quality assurance and ensuring regular attendance to duties by principals assures quality assurance in public secondary schools in Southern Senatorial District of Taraba State, Nigeria. The findings further revealed that timely disbursement of funds to departments for smooth running of schools guarantees quality, ensuring annual financial structure of accounts from the bursary department enhances quality assurance and strict monitoring of payment via due process assures quality assurance in public secondary schools in Southern Senatorial District in Taraba State, Nigeria. Based on the findings, it was recommended among others that Taraba State Government should ensure modern scientific approach of managing staff are fully incorporated into staff development programmes so as to adequately equip school principals with the necessary skills needed in achieving quality assurance.