INSTRUCTIONAL LEADERSHIP AND TEACHERS’ EFFECTIVENESS IN PRIVATE SECONDARY SCHOOLS IN SOUTHEAST STATES, NIGERIA

This research explores how instructional leadership influences teacher effectiveness in private secondary schools located in Nigeria's South-East region The study examined instructional leadership and its impact on teachers’ effectiveness in private secondary schools in the South-East states of Nigeria. The study is guided by three specific research questions and corresponding hypotheses, each tested at a 0.05 significance level. A correlational design was employed, using an ex-post-facto method to analyze existing data. The study's population consisted of 26,828 teachers across 942 private secondary schools within the five South-East states. A sample of 1,341 participants, representing 5% of both principals and teachers, was selected. Data were gathered using a structured instrument titled Instructional Leadership and Teachers’ Effectiveness Questionnaire (ILTEQ) which was subjected to face and content validation. Reliability was assessed using the split-half technique alongside Cronbach’s alpha, yielding a coefficient of 0.81. Data collection was facilitated by trained research assistants. Inferential statistical methods were applied in analyzing the collected data. Simple linear regression analysis was used to answer the research questions, and t-tests linked to the regression model were applied to evaluate the hypotheses. The study found that instructional supervision and curriculum implementation significantly correlated with teacher effectiveness, whereas effective communication showed only a modest direct influence. In light of the findings, the study suggests that schools should offer ongoing professional development for instructional supervisors, equip teachers with current curriculum resources and lesson plans, and promote open communication between principals and staff.