STAKEHOLDERS’ PARTICIPATION IN SECONDARY SCHOOL ADMINISTRATION IN OSUN STATE: PRINCIPALS’ PERSPECTIVES

The influence of stakeholders on decision-making processes within secondary schools’ administrations is a critical aspect of educational governance and leadership. The study investigated the perceptions of principals on the involvement of the school's governing board as stakeholders in secondary school administration in Osun State. A descriptive research design was employed, utilizing multistage and purposive sampling techniques to select thirty principals from three Local Government Areas. A structured questionnaire was used to elicit information from the respondents; the collected data were subjected to descriptive statistics. The findings revealed that the involvement of the old students’ association in the provision of textbooks and stationery for students was very high. The level of involvement of community representatives in secondary school administration was high in terms of giving advice on illegal fees, provision of school facilities, and monitoring of students’ progress. The result further showed that the Parent-Teachers Association (PTA) effectively represents parents' interests in the school administration, and the government representative's substantial role in decision-making enhances the quality of education. Also, religious leaders' moral training fosters virtue in students. The result also revealed that the Local Inspectorate of Education (LIE) was recognized for identifying and addressing local school challenges. Lastly, the philanthropists’ participation in the area of provision of infrastructure and facilities was very high. These findings highlight the collaborative efforts of stakeholders in enhancing quality education. It was therefore recommended that stronger partnerships between school management and stakeholders should be fostered through regular communication, joint planning, and shared decision-making processes.