Effective Planning and Staff Job Performance in Public Secondary Schools in Osun State, Nigeria

Effective Planning and Staff Job Performance in Public Secondary Schools in Osun State, Nigeria

OPARINDE, Olayiwola Raheef

Department of Educational Management, Faculty of Education, Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, Nigeria

DOI: https://dx.doi.org/10.47772/IJRISS.2024.807048

Received: 14 May 2024; Revised: 30 May 2024; Accepted: 04 June 2024; Published: 01 August 2024

ABSTRACT

This study examined the relationship between effective planning and staff job performance in public secondary schools in Osun State. The design for this study was descriptive survey design. The population of the study comprised all the 5,970 teachers and 387 principals in 387 public secondary schools spread across the three Senatorial Districts and 30 Local Government Areas (LGAs) of Osun state. The sample of the study comprised 329 teachers and 36 principals to make a total of 365 respondents. The research instrument used in this study was a questionnaire titled “Effective Planning and Staff Job Performance in Public Secondary Schools Questionnaire (EPSJPPSSQ)”. Three research questions were raised and answered, and one null hypothesis formulated and tested. Findings showed that there was a high level of relationship between effective planning and staff job performance in Osun State secondary schools. Furthermore, the null hypothesis tested showed strong positive relationships among effective administrative planning and staff job performance. Conclusion and recommendations were made that school administrators should continue to work harder at creating a better organized educational goal, especially reinforcing a productive school culture that encourages effective planning.

Keywords: Planning, Job, Performance, Effective Planning, Effectiveness, Secondary Schools

INTRODUCTION

Humans develop performance style characteristics to their ways of relating to the world, perceptually as well as cognitively. A person is, therefore, likely to act in a way that maximizes the use of his aptitudes. Similarly, a staff’s positive attitude towards work and higher aspiration level determines his positive perception of the environments. An effective staff development design should have an exhaustive measure of aptitude, subject mastery, teaching methodology, among others, so as to foster necessary skills and attitudes amongst prospective teachers.

The measurement of job performance or individual performance on the job serves certain organizational as well as individual goals. Job performance is defined as a worker’s outcomes or success in achieving organizational objectives within the organization he/she works.

Wesley (2018) opined that an evaluation of staff’s job performance could be carried out by considering their professional knowledge, teaching plan, teaching strategy, individual teaching and remedial, evaluation techniques, feedback, teaching-learning environment, challenging academic environment, professionalism and communication. The job performance is an effort of a staff to achieve some specific goals. Job performance can be described as the duties performed by a teacher at a particular period in the school system in achieving organizational goals. Job performance of secondary school staff is very crucial in the attainment of academic performance of secondary school students.

Staff’s job performance in secondary schools is affected by some factors in which planning is one. According to Mbaraka (2015), different structures arise in response to a variety of internal and external forces, including technological demands, organizational growth, environmental turbulence, size and business strategy. Organizational structure institutionalizes how people interact with one another, how communication flows, and how power relationships are defined (Robbins, 2016).

Planning is a framework of an organization that helps in determining individual responsibilities and task processes of delegation and the distribution of authority. It is a tool of management for achieving goals. As plans tend to change, the organizational structure should be responsive to change. Effective planning plays a crucial role in enhancing staff job performance in secondary schools. According to a study by Leithwood and Jantzi (2000), effective planning involves setting clear goals, aligning resources, and establishing a supportive organizational culture, all of which contribute to improved staff job performance. Additionally, research by Hallinger and Heck (1996) highlights the importance of strategic planning in creating a shared vision and direction for the school, which can motivate staff and enhance their performance.

Furthermore, a study by Waters and Marzano (2006) emphasizes the role of data-driven planning in improving staff job performance by enabling educators to make informed decisions and track progress towards goals. Effective planning also fosters collaboration among staff members, as noted in a study by Louis and Marks (1998), which can lead to increased job satisfaction and performance.

Effective planning is essential for enhancing staff job performance in secondary schools. By setting clear goals, aligning resources, creating a shared vision, increased motivation and morale, clear expectations and accountability, resource allocation and support, continuous improvement and professional development and fostering collaboration, schools can create a supportive environment that enables staff to excel in their roles. Effective planning in secondary schools involves several key components that contribute to improved staff job performance. According to Leithwood and Jantzi (2000), these components include setting clear goals, aligning resources, establishing a supportive organizational culture, and monitoring progress towards goals. Additionally, Hallinger and Heck (1996) emphasize the importance of strategic planning in creating a shared vision and direction for the school, which can motivate staff and enhance their performance.

Furthermore, Waters and Marzano (2006) highlight the role of data-driven planning in improving staff job performance by enabling educators to make informed decisions and track progress towards goals. Effective planning also involves creating opportunities for collaboration among staff members, as noted in a study by Louis and Marks (1998), which can lead to increased job satisfaction and performance.

The key components of effective planning in secondary schools that contribute to improved staff job performance include setting clear goals, aligning resources, establishing a supportive organizational culture, monitoring progress, creating a shared vision, using data-driven decision-making, involving stakeholders, allocating resources strategically, monitoring and evaluation and fostering collaboration among staff members. By incorporating these components into their planning processes, schools can create a supportive environment that enables staff to excel in their roles (Hallinger &Heck, 2010).

School leaders play a crucial role in supporting and facilitating effective planning among staff members in secondary schools. According to Fullan (2001), effective leadership involves creating a shared vision, building a culture of collaboration, and providing support and resources to enable staff to achieve their goals. By establishing a clear vision, providing resources and support, fostering collaboration, using data to inform decision-making, and monitoring progress, leaders can create a supportive environment that enables staff to excel in their planning efforts and ultimately improve student outcomes.

Ivancevich (2018) opined that to enhance the effectiveness of planning and improve staff job performance in secondary schools, there are several strategies that can be implemented. These strategies include professional development opportunities, encouraging reflection and evaluation, utilizing technology tools, setting clear expectations and goals and collaborative planning sessions.

Performance of teachers mainly depends on the teacher characteristics such as knowledge base, sense of responsibility, and inquisitiveness; the student characteristics such as opportunity to learn, and academic work; teaching factors such as lesson structure, and communication; the learning aspects such as involvement and success; and the classroom phenomena such as environment and climate, and organization and management. If the teachers take care of these factors, their performance can be enhanced to the optimum level. Yet proxies implemented by Osun state to determine teacher quality have been woefully inadequate. Teacher entrance and exit examination scores, years of experience, advanced degrees, and teaching credentials are not related to ratings of teacher’s performance (Pelin, Kanten & Merit, 2015).

According to Randall and Jackson (2016), planning in the context of education entails the process of setting objectives and determining the means to achieving the objectives. It entails deciding in advance what to be taught, how to teach, when to teach, who is being taught, and the evaluation of the recipient. Planning is the beginning of the teaching and learning process, before a teacher goes to the class to deliver any lesson, he plans such lessons while education administrators make policies and plan the curriculum for the school to implement them.  Planning for a lesson makes the teaching-learning encounter a valuable and productive impact. Conversely, no planning leads to a wasteful and unproductive lesson. The motion pervades education at all levels and in all subject areas.

There appears to be a widespread agreement not only on the value of planning but also on the substance and format of plans. The plan that enlisted universal acceptance contains the purposes, experiences, and their organization and evaluation. Shani (2015) opined that effective planning will give direction to teaching, and result in worthwhile efficient staff job performance has considerable logical validity. It would seem that careful, detailed planning concerning purposes, experiences and evaluation would result in useful and appropriate staff job performance and behavior at work.

It is against this background that this study examined the relationship between effective planning and staff job performance in public secondary schools in Osun State.

THEORETICAL FRAMEWORK

This study is anchored on the Goal Setting Theory which was first proposed by Edwin Locke and Gary Latham in the 1960s, and Administrative Management Theory (Henri Fayol, 1949). Locke and Latham conducted extensive research on the relationship between goal setting and performance, leading to the development of this influential theory. This theory is relevant to effective planning and staff job performance as it suggests that setting specific and challenging goals can lead to higher levels of performance and motivation, focus, and performance. Research by Almustapha and Dahiru (2024), and Edo and Johnson (2024) have shown that by setting clear and achievable goals for staff members, managers can help them focus their efforts and work towards achieving desired outcomes. Additionally, the theory emphasizes the importance of feedback and monitoring progress towards goals, which can help employees stay on track and make necessary adjustments to improve performance. In terms of planning, setting specific and measurable goals can help organizations and individuals prioritize tasks, allocate resources effectively, and track progress towards achieving desired outcomes. By aligning individual and organizational goals, employees can better understand how their work contributes to the overall success of the organization, leading to increased motivation and job satisfaction. Overall, the Goal Setting Theory provides a framework for effective planning and performance management by emphasizing the importance of setting clear, challenging, and achievable goals, providing feedback, and monitoring progress towards those goals. By applying the principles of goal setting, organizations can improve employee engagement, productivity, and overall performance.

The administrative management theory was propounded by Henri Fayol in 1949. Henri Fayol’s administrative management theory is a simple model of how management interacts with personnel. The theory further states that all activities that occur in an organization can be grouped into 14 management principles, which are division of labour, authority, discipline, unity of command, unity of direction, subordination of individual interests to the organisation’s interests, remuneration, centralization, Scalar Chain, order, equity, and stability of personnel tenure, initiative, and esprit decorps. The relevance of this theoretical framework to this study is hinged on the fact that the performance of employees in an organization depends on the practices exhibited or implemented by the manager. In other words, for an organization to achieve effective job performance, the manager needs to adopt administrative management principles (practices), as submitted by Henri Fayol. It is believed that these various administrative management principles and processes, which are embedded in management practices, will help to improve staff job performance.

Statement of the problem

Administrators and principals experience administrative difficulties in the management of teaching staff in the areas of staff promotion, staff wages and salaries, staff training and development, good working condition of staff security, staff motivation, provision of teaching facilities in urban and rural areas, staff welfare, mentoring, talent management, etc. poor management of teaching staff affect their job performance negatively, reducing the quality of education and the achievement of set goals. Furthermore, poor funding of education in most third world countries does not enable the system to have manageable class sizes, adequate student, classroom space and appropriate class utilization rates, in spite of the fact that these factors determine the productivity of teachers and students’ academic performance. The problems of school facilities are also a determinant of staff job performance. The secondary school education is seen to be falling below the standards and this problem cannot be divorced from the teacher’s job performances. All the efforts made like increase in salaries, payment of bonuses, increase in education budget allocation to rectify all these problems has proved abortive. It is as a result of this that this study examined the relationship between effective planning and staff job performance in Osun State.

Purpose of the Study    

The purpose of the study was to establish the relationship between effective planning and staff job performance in public secondary schools. Specifically, the study sought:

1. to examine how effective planning impact staff job performance in secondary schools in Osun State

2. to examine the key components of effective planning in secondary schools that contribute to improved staff job performance in secondary schools in Osun State

3. to assess how school leaders support and facilitate effective planning among staff members in secondary schools in Osun State

4. to identify strategies that can be implemented to enhance the effectiveness of planning and improve staff job performance in secondary schools in Osun State

5. to determine the relationship between effective planning and staff job performance in secondary schools in Osun State

Research Questions

The study was guided by the following research questions:

1. How does effective planning impact staff job performance in secondary schools in Osun State?

2. What are the key components of effective planning in secondary schools that contribute to improved staff job performance in Osun State?

3. How do school leaders support and facilitate effective planning among staff members in secondary schools in Osun State?

4. What strategies can secondary schools implement to enhance the effectiveness of planning and improve staff job performance in Osun State?

Research Hypothesis

One null hypothesis was formulated and tested for the study:

Ho: There is no significant relationship between effective administrative planning and staff job performance in Secondary Schools in Osun State

METHODOLOGY

The study adopted a descriptive survey research design which is aimed at collecting data from the accessible population and describing the data in a systematic manner. This method seems to have the advantage of being an effective way of collecting data from a large number of sources. The population of the study comprised all the 5970 teachers and 387 principals in 387 public secondary schools spread across the three Senatorial Districts and 30 Local Government Areas (LGAs) of Osun state. The sample of the study comprised 329 teachers and 36 principals to make a total of 365 respondents. The sample size for the teachers was arrived at using research advisor at 0.05 level of significance. The Multi-stage sampling procedure was used to group the schools in Osun State into three senatorial districts. From the three senatorial districts, three Local Government areas (LGAs) each were selected using simple random sampling technique to make a total of nine LGAs. Also simple random sampling technique was used to select four schools from each LGAs to have a total of 36 schools. From the selected schools, nine teachers were randomly selected to make a total of 329 teachers. From the selected schools, total enumeration sampling technique was used to select all the principals in the 36 selected schools.

Data were collected from the respondents using a self-designed research instrument titled: “Effective Planning and Staff Job Performance in Public Secondary Schools Questionnaire (EPSJPPSSQ)”. The instrument has two sections. The first section contained demographic information of the respondents while the second section comprised items to elicit information from the teachers and principals. The instrument was basically a 4-point rating scale with the following response options: Strongly Agree, Agree, Disagree, Strongly Disagree. The results from the field were analyzed using percentage scores and tables constructed for that purpose to answer the research questions, while Pearson Product-Moment Correlation coefficient was used to test the hypothesis.

RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

Research Question One: How does effective planning impact staff job performance in secondary schools in Osun State?

Table 1: Analysis of the impact of effective planning on staff job performance in secondary schools in Osun State

Responses from Table 1 suggests that effective planning is essential for enhancing staff job performance in secondary schools. By setting clear goals, aligning resources, creating a shared vision, increased motivation and morale, clear expectations and accountability, resource allocation and support, continuous improvement and professional development and fostering collaboration, schools can create a supportive environment that enables staff to excel in their roles.

Research Question Two: What are the key components of effective planning in secondary schools that contribute to improved staff job performance in Osun State?

Table 2: Analysis of the key components of effective planning in secondary schools that contribute to improved staff job performance in Osun State

From Table 2, it is crystal clear that majority of the respondents are in agreement with the key components of effective planning and by implication aligning with the fact that such contribute to improved staff job performance by setting clear goals, aligning resources, establishing a supportive organizational culture, monitoring progress, creating a shared vision, using data-driven decision-making, involving stakeholders, allocating resources strategically, monitoring and evaluation and fostering collaboration among staff members. By incorporating these components into their planning processes, schools can create a supportive environment that enables staff to excel in their roles.

Research Question Three: How do school leaders support and facilitate effective planning among staff members in secondary schools in Osun State?

Table 3: Analysis of how school leaders support and facilitate effective planning among staff members in secondary schools in Osun State

Apart from item 2 in the above table 3 with higher number of disagreement with 52.6%, respondents were in agreement with all other items that effective leadership involves creating a shared vision, building a culture of collaboration, and providing support and resources to enable staff to achieve their goals. By establishing a clear vision, providing resources and support, fostering collaboration, using data to inform decision-making, and monitoring progress, leaders can create a supportive environment that enables staff to excel in their planning efforts and ultimately improve students’ outcomes.

Research Question Four: What strategies can secondary schools implement to enhance the effectiveness of planning and improve staff job performance in Secondary Schools in Osun State?

Table 4: Strategies to enhance the effectiveness of planning and improve staff job performance in Secondary Schools in Osun State

From Table 4, 60% of the respondents disagreed that implementing technology tools, such as planning software and communication platforms, can streamline the planning process and make it more efficient. Majority of the respondents agreed that the strategies to enhance the effectiveness of planning and improve staff job performance in Secondary Schools in Osun State include Professional development opportunities, encouraging reflection and evaluation, and setting clear expectations and goals through collaborative planning sessions. By implementing these strategies, secondary schools can enhance the effectiveness of planning and improve staff job performance, ultimately leading to better outcomes for students and a more positive school environment.

Testing of Hypothesis

Ho: There is no significant relationship between effective administrative planning and staff job performance in Secondary Schools in Osun State

Table 5: Correlation analysis testing the relationship between effective administrative planning and staff job performance in Secondary Schools in Osun State

From the data in table 5, it is obvious that the calculated r-value of .60 is greater than the critical r-value of .062 at .05 level of significance and for 363 degree of freedom. Hence the null hypothesis which stated that there is no significant relationship between effective administrative planning and staff job performance in Secondary Schools in Osun Stateis rejected.

DISCUSSION OF FINDINGS

This study examined relationship between effective planning and staff job performance in public secondary schools in Osun State. The objective was to establish how administrative planning relates to staff job performance in Osun State. This study is anchored on the Goal Setting Theory which was first proposed by Edwin Locke and Gary Latham in the 1960s, and Administrative Management Theory (Henri Fayol, 1949).

The Goal Setting theory is relevant to effective planning and staff job performance as it suggests that setting specific and challenging goals can lead to higher levels of performance and motivation, focus, and performance. Research by Almustapha and Dahiru (2024), and Edo and Johnson (2024) have shown that by setting clear and achievable goals for staff members, managers can help them focus their efforts and work towards achieving desired outcomes.

The relevance of the Administrative Management Theory to this study is hinged on the fact that the performance of employees in an organization depends on the practices exhibited or implemented by the manager. In other words, for an organization to achieve effective job performance, the manager needs to adopt administrative management principles (practices), as talked about by Henri Fayol. It is believed that these various administrative management principles and processes, which are embedded in school management practices, will help to improve staff job performance.

Findings from the study revealed that effective planning is essential for enhancing staff job performance in secondary schools. This is in line with the submissions of Leithwood and Jantzi (2000), and Hallinger and Heck (1996) who opined that by setting clear goals, aligning resources, creating a shared vision, increased motivation and morale, clear expectations and accountability, resource allocation and support, continuous improvement and professional development and fostering collaboration, schools can create a supportive environment that enables staff to excel in their roles.

The study also found that the key components of effective planning in secondary schools that contribute to improved staff job performance include setting clear goals, aligning resources, establishing a supportive organizational culture, monitoring progress, creating a shared vision, using data-driven decision-making, involving stakeholders, allocating resources strategically, monitoring and evaluation and fostering collaboration among staff members. This is in tandem with the position of Leithwood and Jantzi (2000), Waters and Marzano (2006), and Hallinger and Heck (2010) who submitted that by incorporating these components into their planning processes, schools can create a supportive environment that enables staff to excel in their roles.

Findings from the study also revealed that school leaders play a crucial role in supporting and facilitating effective planning among staff members in secondary schools. This according to Fullan (2001), involves creating a shared vision, building a culture of collaboration, and providing support and resources to enable staff to achieve their goals. By establishing a clear vision, providing resources and support, fostering collaboration, using data to inform decision-making, and monitoring progress, leaders can create a supportive environment that enables staff to excel in their planning efforts and ultimately improve student outcomes.

The study found that to enhance the effectiveness of planning and improve staff job performance in secondary schools, there are several strategies that can be implemented. This tallies with the opinions of Ivancevich (2018) and Wesley (2018) who submitted that these strategies include professional development opportunities, encouraging reflection and evaluation, utilizing technology tools, setting clear expectations and goals and collaborative planning sessions.

Finally, the study established a significant relationship between effective administrative planning and staff job performance in Secondary Schools in Osun State with a calculated r-value of .60 which is greater than the critical r-value of .062 at .05 level of significance and for 363 degree of freedom.

CONCLUSION

Effective planning and staff job performance are crucial components for the successful operation of any organization, including secondary schools in Osun State, Nigeria. Through proper planning, schools can set clear goals and objectives, allocate resources efficiently, and ensure that all staff members are working towards a common purpose. Additionally, by focusing on staff job performance, schools can improve productivity, quality of work, and overall employee satisfaction.

RECOMMENDATIONS

Based on the findings, the following recommendations are proposed to enhance effective planning and staff job performance in secondary schools in Osun State, Nigeria:

1. Secondary school administrators should continue to work harder at creating a better organised school educational goal, especially reinforcing a productive school culture so that its contribution to school effectiveness can increase.
2. Secondary schools in Osun State should develop a clear and comprehensive strategic plan that outlines their goals, objectives, and action steps. This plan should be communicated to all staff members to ensure alignment and understanding of the organization’s direction.
3. School leaders should foster a positive work culture by creating a positive work culture that values teamwork, collaboration, and open communication. A supportive work environment can boost employee morale and motivation, leading to improved job performance. They should as well implement performance management systems to monitor and evaluate staff job performance. Regular feedback and performance reviews can help identify areas for improvement and provide opportunities for recognition and rewards.
4. Also, it is hoped that school administrators do not relent in the uses of various staff relationship strategies that work for them and rather equip themselves with emerging trends in educational resources management.
5. Administrator should carry along the staffs when formulating goals for schools
6. Secondary schools’ management should encourage staff members to think creatively and propose innovative solutions to challenges. By fostering a culture of innovation, organizations can drive continuous improvement and stay ahead of the competition.

By implementing these recommendations, secondary schools in Osun State, Nigeria can enhance their planning processes and improve staff job performance, ultimately leading to greater success and sustainability in the long run.

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