SCHOOL CLIMATE, PRINCIPALS’ CONFLICT MANAGEMENT APPROACHES AND ADMINISTRATIVE EFFECTIVENESS IN SECONDARY SCHOOLS IN NORTH CENTRAL, NIGERIA

This study investigated the relationship within the coverage of secondary schools in the North-central zone of Nigeria. Using a cross-sectional survey, the research targeted 1836 school heads and 29201 teachers from government-owned secondary schools in the North-central zone of Nigeria. The sample comprised 899 respondents containing 139 school principals and 760 teachers, who completed a questionnaire called the School Climate, Principals' Conflict Management Approaches and Administrative Effectiveness Questionnaire (SCPCMAAEQ). The reliability coefficients for the questionnaire sections were 0.76, 0.82, and 0.84, respectively, determined using Cronbach’s alpha. The mean and standard deviations were employed in answering the research questions, while inferential statistics, like the multiple regression analysis and Pearson's Product Moment Correlation were adopted in testing the formulated hypotheses at 0.05 significance level. The results indicated that school climate, principals' conflict management approaches, and administrative effectiveness were at favourable levels, with mean scores of 39.18, 37.96, and 25.75, respectively. Additionally, there was a significant correlation between school climate, principals' conflict management approaches, and administrative effectiveness, evidenced by an R2 value of 51%. The study also identified meaningful relationships among the physical environment, safety and school size, social environment, affective environment, and administrative effectiveness, all with significant values of 0.001, which is below the 0.05 threshold. Furthermore, a significant correlation was found among the various conflict management methods and administrative effectiveness, again with significant values of 0.001. In conclusion, the findings highlighted that a supportive school climate, effective conflict management by principals, and high levels of administrative effectiveness are interconnected.