School Managers’ Supervisory Roles and Post-Basic Education Teachers’ Effective Classroom Delivery in Ibusa Delta State Nigeria

School Managers’ Supervisory Roles and Post-Basic Education Teachers’ Effective Classroom Delivery in Ibusa Delta State Nigeria

Adewunmi F. AYO-VAUGHAN¹*, Magdalene O. AJANI² & Mary O. OYEBADE³

¹Department of Curriculum & Instruction, Federal College of Education (Technical), Asaba, Delta State

²Department of Educational Foundations, Federal College of Education (Technical), Asaba, Delta State

³Department of Educational Psychology and Counseling, Federal College of Education (Technical), Asaba, Delta State

*Corresponding Author

DOI: https://dx.doi.org/10.47772/IJRISS.2025.90300359

Received: 14 March 2025; Accepted: 18 March 2025; Published: 21 April 2025

ABSTRACT

This study examined the influence of school manager’s supervisory roles on post-basic education teachers’ classroom delivery in secondary schools in Ibusa, Delta State. Descriptive survey design was employed in the study as two (2) research questions guided its conduct. The population comprised teachers in all public and private secondary schools in Ibusa. Comprehensive sampling technique was used to select all the teachers in the twenty-five public and private secondary schools involved in the study. The instrument for data collection was a structured questionnaire titled “Influence of School Manager’s Supervisory Roles on Post-basic Education Teachers’ Delivery Questionnaire”. The instrument was rated on a 4-point scale, validated and tested for reliability with a reliability co-efficient of 0.71 obtained. Data gathered was analyzed using descriptive statistics of frequency counts, mean and standard deviation. Findings from the study among others revealed that school managers’ supervisory role, to a high extent, affects the performance of post-basic education teachers in secondary schools in Ibusa, Delta State. Based on the findings, the study recommended among others that the relevant agencies of the State Ministry of Education such as State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB) and Post-Primary Education Board (PPEB) should intensify regular supervision in order to ensure school managers/principals effectively carry out their supervisory roles on teachers thereby meeting up with their instructional objectives and effectively implementing various subject curriculum.

Keywords: Post-basic teachers, Secondary Education, School manager, Supervision, Supervisory Roles, Teacher’s Delivery

INTRODUCTION

The education sector plays a pivotal role in shaping the intellectual and professional development of individuals, with secondary schools serving as crucial institutions in this process. In the dynamic landscape of education, the performance of teachers is a key determinant of the quality of education provided to students. Within this context, the role of school managers, particularly in their supervisory capacity, becomes instrumental in fostering an environment conducive to effective teaching and learning. School managers, including principals and administrators, are responsible for creating a supportive and conducive environment for teaching and learning (Ogbaekirigwe, Chikezie & Iwu, 2016). Their supervisory roles involve monitoring, evaluating, and providing guidance to teachers, ensuring adherence to curriculum standards and the overall improvement of educational outcomes.

There are supervisors in every field of knowledge or profession. In education, supervision is centered on educational issues. Supervision is seen as all efforts of designated school officials toward providing guidance and leadership to teachers and other educational workers in the improvement of instruction (Ekundayo & Oyerinde, 2019). Supervision is an opportunity to bring someone back to their own mind, to show how good they can be. Thus, it is required that adequate supervision of instructional activities takes place in the various levels of education to ensure that teachers participate fully in attaining set objectives.

However, certain challenges continue to impede the smooth administration of schools. In this regard, Affianmagbon (2017) observed professional laxity on the part of teachers as he claimed that many teachers are merely staying on the job to look for better jobs outside. He complained further that the constant cases of absenteeism, persistent lateness to school, irregular and unauthorized movement from duty post and indiscipline constitute a big problem to the attainment of educational goals in secondary schools. This seem to be as a result of poor supervision and in order to remedy the situation, an improved instructional supervisory mechanism must be put in place (Affianmagbon, 2017). To investigate the extent to which school managers’ supervisory role affects post-basic education teachers’ delivery and ascertaining the strategies to enhancing effective school managers’ supervisory role of post-basic education teachers is therefore the purpose of this study.

The research questions guiding the study are:

1. To what extent does school managers’ supervisory role affect the performance of post-basic education teachers in Ibusa, Delta State?
2. What are the strategies to enhancing effective school managers’ supervisory role of post-basic education teachers in Ibusa, Delta State?

LITERATURE REVIEW

Theoretical Framework

System theory

This study is hinged on system theory (ST). System theory was proposed in the 1940’s by the biologist Ludwig Von Bertalanffy and furthered by Ross Ashby (1964). Von Bertalanffy was reacting against both reductionism and attempting to revive the unity of science. He is considered to be the founder and principal author of general systems theory. A system is a sum total of parts working independently interdependently to achieve required results or outcomes based on needs, (Darling-Hammond, 2017). System theory is the interdisciplinary study of systems, which are cohesive groups of interrelated, interdependent parts that can be natural or human made. This implies that a collection of people, resources, concepts and procedures intended to perform some identifiable function or to achieve a goal.

There is a strong connection between the choice of this theory and this study because the provision of quality secondary education by quality supervision and upholding established standard can be examined from general systems theory perspective. This is because the secondary education production function is a system of human resources, physical resources, methods, procedures and processes working together in a definite environment to deliver desirable outputs. Within the system, non-conformities do occur. These non-conformities imply deviations from the set standards or norms, therefore a problem. By allocating where they occur within the system and the causes thereof, solutions can be found. This will enhance the efficiency and effectiveness of the system.

Instructional Supervision, School Managers and Post-Basic Education Teacher Delivery

Instructional supervision according to Achibong, (2022) is an activity designed to improve instruction in schools through changing teacher behaviour in order to enhance and facilitate learning in a way that the goals of the organization are achieved. From this definition, it can be deduced that a supervisor is one who monitors the activities of teachers in the classroom with the aim of providing professional guidance. The fundamental focus of instructional supervision is the input maximization of teaching and supporting staff for quality control of teaching and students learning activities. As such, supervision has two contexts such as the people and the improvement of the school programme (Utake, 2022). Instructional supervisory practices have steadily, over the years been transformed from “inspection” by all knowing officials called Inspectors to the present day democratic and co-operative interchange between supervisor and supervisee.

Suparto (2020) stated that instructional supervision is one of the techniques by which school administrators seek to attain acceptable performance and results. It is a quality control tool in the school system and a phase of school administration that focuses primarily on the achievement of educational systems suitable expectations. Teachers whether new or experienced, require assistance in implementing educational programmes. As school heads, principals must provide this assistance to teachers, as well as be involved in the execution of instructional programmes by monitoring what teachers are doing with students. These includes: classroom observation, personal interaction and instructional support. According to Suparto (2020) academic supervision combined with classroom observation techniques can increase teacher learning quality. Suparto further added that classroom observation comprises predetermined indicators that have been agreed upon by teachers and observers, guaranteeing that the teachers are prepared.

Teacher performance is therefore the result of teacher work in carrying out their duties based on abilities, skills, experience, abilities, according to their competence and job criteria (Andriani, et al, 2021). The most common goal of classroom observation is teacher performance (Aljhune, 2017). Lecturer or teacher performance is an important factor. The main assessor of teacher performance is students (Andriani, et al, 2021). Teacher performance is the ability and success of the teacher to carry out learning. There is a significant effect of teacher performance on teacher teaching abilities (Aripin & Walker, 2020; Irungu, 2019). Teacher performance can be seen through several indicators 1) ability to compile lesson plans; 2) the ability to carry out learning; 3) the ability to do interpersonal relationships; 4) ability to assess learning outcomes; 5) ability to carry out enrichment programs; 6) ability to implement improvement programs (Utake, 2022). Efforts to improve teacher quality, whether through better recruitment and selection, increased in-service training, or efficient use of teachers all rely on the ability to check teacher performance on demand, quickly, economically, and accurately.

Nevertheless, School managers are pivotal in providing leadership, guidance, and support to teachers (Ekundayo & Oyerinde, 2019). Frameworks such as instructional leadership and transformational leadership offer lenses to understand the multifaceted aspects of supervisory roles (Osman, & Mukuna, 2013). Different supervision models, including clinical supervision and collaborative supervision, have been proposed, each with varying implications for teacher development and performance (Ghavifekr et al., 2019). The effective performance of post-basic education teachers is crucial for providing students with the knowledge and skills necessary for success in the business world (Irungu, 2019). Various factors such as professional development, classroom management, and curriculum design have been identified as key influencers of post-basic education teachers’ job performance (Utake, 2022).

School managers providing constructive feedback and support positively influence the performance and effectiveness of post-basic education teachers (Nwachukwu, & Nanighe, 2014).  The role of school managers in providing support and feedback to post-basic education teachers is integral to teacher development and overall performance.  Support from school managers encompasses emotional, instructional, and administrative assistance provided to teachers in the pursuit of professional growth (Andriani, et al, 2021). Research suggests that a supportive supervisory environment positively correlates with increased teacher efficacy, contributing to improved job performance (Ghavifekr et al., 2019).  Constructive feedback is crucial for teachers’ professional growth, helping them understand their strengths and areas for improvement (c). Specific, timely, and actionable feedback has been found to be particularly effective in influencing teacher practice and performance (Mette et al., 2016). Supportive supervision, coupled with constructive feedback, enhances post-basic education teachers’ engagement in professional development activities, positively impacting their performance (Ghavifekr et al., 2019). The quality of support and feedback provided by school managers is linked to improvements in classroom practices and, consequently, positive student outcomes in their academics (Nwachukwu, & Nanighe, 2014).  Challenges such as time constraints and conflicting priorities may hinder school managers from providing consistent and comprehensive support to post-basic education teachers (Andriani, et al, 2021). However, Strategies, including targeted professional development for school managers and the establishment of a supportive school culture, have been proposed to overcome challenges and enhance the effectiveness of support and feedback (Edo & David, 2019).

The effective performance of post-basic education teachers is therefore integral to the holistic development of students, preparing them for future challenges in the world. Within this context, the supervisory roles of school managers emerge as a crucial factor that can significantly influence the performance of these teachers. The need for adequate supervision of teaching and learning and our educational system in general, cannot be over emphasized. Poor supervision has resulted in poor performance of teachers and in turn led to poor quality of education. Ogbaekirigwe et al, (2016) argued that despite the attention of educational supervision system and its organs given by the ministry of education, it was observed that the secondary school educational supervision system falls short of keeping pace with modern trends of supervisory instructions and skills of the supervisor. Hence, the rising doubt about the effect of supervision on performance of teachers.

Despite the acknowledged importance of effective supervision in teacher development, there is a notable gap in the existing literature regarding the specific dynamics of how school managers’ supervisory roles impact the performance of post-basic education teachers. The current body of research on the influence of school managers’ supervisory roles often provides a broad overview without delving into the unique challenges and opportunities faced by post-basic education teachers. This research aims to fill this gap by examining the distinct aspects of supervisory roles that impact the performance of senior secondary educators. This study therefore examined the influence of school manager’s supervisory roles on post-basic education teachers’ delivery in secondary schools in Ibusa, Delta State.

METHODOLOGY

Research Design

The study employed the descriptive survey design. The design was considered appropriate because it enabled the researcher to identify the characteristics of the population objectively and systematically gather data without manipulating the variables of the study (Creswell, 2012).

Area of the Study

Delta State was purposively selected for this study from among the thirty-six states in Nigeria as the area of the study because it bears same characteristics with other states in regard to school manager’s supervisory roles and teacher delivery and also because of the researchers’ proximity and adequate knowledge of the area’s terrain. Ibusa which was specifically selected is located in Oshimili North Local Government Area of Delta State. Delta State is located in the South-South zone of Nigeria. It shares boundaries to the East with Anambra State and Edo State to the west. Delta State has twenty five (25) Local Government Areas and is an Oil-rich State with arable land for agriculture and water body for fishing.

Population

The population of the study consisted of all Post-basic education teachers in all the public and private secondary schools in Ibusa, Delta State. The total population was 75.

Sample and Sampling Technique

Purposive sampling technique was first used to select Delta State. Multi-stage sampling was then used to split Delta State into three based on her senatorial districts from which one cluster (Delta North senatorial district) was randomly selected. Delta North senatorial district was then clustered based on her nine (9) local governments. Simple random sampling technique was then used to select one (Oshimili North) out of the nine local governments. Comprehensive sampling technique was then used to select all the public and private secondary schools in Ibusa town making a total of twenty-five (25) schools. Due to the manageable population, comprehensive sampling technique was also adopted in selecting all seventy-five (75) Post-basic education teachers in the study area.

Instrument, Data Collection Procedure and Analysis

The instrument used for data collection was a structured questionnaire designed by the researchers. The instrument contained twenty-three (23) statements that elicited responses on supervisory roles of school managers and effective teacher delivery. The structured questionnaire titled “Influence of School Manager’s Supervisory Roles on Post-basic Education Teachers’ Delivery Questionnaire” (ISMSRPETPQ) was rated on a 4-point rating scale with options ranging from Very High Extent (VHE), High Extent (HE), Low Extent (LE), and Very Low Extent (VLE). The ratings are coded and weighted thus: Very High Extent (VHE), 4 points; High Extent (HE) 3; Low Extent (LE) 2, and Very Low Extent (VLE) 1.

The researchers administered seventy-five (75) copies of the questionnaire to the respondents using hand-to-hand distribution method.  These were distributed among the 25 secondary schools (5 public and 20 private). Two research assistants were recruited and trained to assist the researcher in the administration of the questionnaire. The researcher and his assistants used three (3) days to administer the questionnaire. After three (3) days, the researcher and his research assistants went back to the respective schools and collected the filled questionnaire upon completion from the respondents. All questionnaires administered were returned, which represented 100% return rate. The data collected from the respondents through research questionnaire were analyzed using descriptive statistical tools (frequency count, Mean scores and standard deviation.  The decision rule is that any item with a mean score of 2.50 and above was regarded as Strongly Agree/Agree and any item with mean score below 2.50 is regarded as Disagree/Strongly Disagree.  In order to determine the mean, the weights of the options were added together and divided by the number of options. This was done thus: 4+3+2+1= 10÷4 =2.50. Therefore, 2.50 was the benchmark for acceptance of a mean score as High Extent or Low Extent.

RESULTS

Table 1: Mean Rating and Standard Deviation Scores of Respondents’ on How School Managers’ Supervisory Role Affect the Performance of Post-basic education teachers (N=75)

Table 1 presents the views of the respondents on how school managers’ supervisory role affects the performance of post-basic education teachers. The result in the table revealed that all the mean scores of the respondents (Items 1-12) with their corresponding standard deviations respectively, indicated that respondents agree that school managers’ supervisory role to a high extent, affects the performance of post-basic education teachers. The grand mean score of 3.47 is seen to be above the criterion mean of 2.50 for acceptance level. This shows that school managers’ supervisory role, to a high extent, affect the performance of post-basic education teachers in secondary schools in Ibusa, Delta State.

Table 2: Mean Rating and Standard Deviation Scores of Respondents’ on Strategies to Enhancing Effective School Managers’ Supervisory Role of Post-basic education teachers (N=75)

Table 2 presents the views of the respondents on strategies to enhancing effective school managers’ supervisory role of post-basic education teachers. The result in the table revealed that all the mean scores of the respondents (Items 13-23) with their corresponding standard deviations respectively, indicated that respondents agree that all the items, to a high extent, are strategies to enhancing effective school managers’ supervisory role of post-basic education teachers. The grand mean score of 3.47 is seen to be above the criterion mean of 2.50 for acceptance level. This showed that all the items, to a high extent, are strategies to enhancing effective school managers’ supervisory role of post-basic education teachers in secondary schools in Ibusa, Delta State.

DISCUSSION OF FINDINGS

This study revealed that school managers’ supervisory role, to a high extent, affects the performance of post-basic education teachers in Ibusa, Delta State. The study’s finding is in line with Mette et al. (2016) that high positive significant relationship exist between school principal supervision and teachers’ performance. Furthermore, it also agreed with Wairimu (2016) findings that school administrators’ leadership and supervisory strategies correlates directly with teachers’ commitment to their jobs. In the same vein, the study’s finding also agrees with Wayne and Patrick (2019) that academic supervision by school principals not only improved teacher performance but also encouraged their development and individual approaches and provided them with the required training and motivation.

Furthermore, the study revealed that provision of adequate facilities to aid supervision, regular payment of commensurate incentives, engagement of qualified personnel’s for supervision, enlightenment of supervisors and supervisees on the importance and nitty-gritty of supervision, regular supervision of principals and supervisors on their supervisory roles would enhance effective supervision of teachers to a high extent and are strategies to enhancing effective school managers’ supervisory role of post-basic education teachers in secondary schools in Ibusa, Delta State. This finding agrees with Ekundayo & Oyerinde (2019) that engagement of qualified personnel for supervision and commensurate compensation and incentives are effective strategies to encourage supervision.

CONCLUSION

School managers’ supervisory roles, to a high extent, influences performance of post-basic education teachers in secondary schools in Ibusa, Delta State. Hence, they influence the level of students’ understanding of the subject and also enable the teachers to hone their teaching skills. It is evident that supervision influenced teacher’s performance and hence secondary school students’ learning. However, it evident that there are several challenges bedeviling the effective supervision process and that the only way to surmount those challenges was to employ strategies to enhancing effective school managers’ supervisory role of post-basic education teachers in Ibusa, Delta State.

The study therefore recommends that Delta State Government through Post Primary Education Board (PPEB) and State Universal Education Board (SUBEB) should ensure the provision of adequate facilities to aid supervision, regular payment of commensurate incentives, engagement of qualified personnel’s for supervisions, enlightenment of supervisors and supervisees on the importance and nitty-gritty of supervision, regular supervision of principals and supervisors on their supervisory roles. The PPEB should intensify regular supervision to ensure school managers/principals effectively carry out their supervisory roles on teachers in order to meet the instructional objectives of the schools and effectively implement the curriculum. School managers should also be awake to their duty of maintaining quality assurance in their schools by setting up proper internal supervisory mechanisms that ensures teachers are alive to their duties.

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