Discipline and Accountability as Correlates of Teacher Productivity in Public Secondary Schools in Southwest, Nigeria

This study examined the relationship between school leaders’ discipline and accountability and teacher productivity in public secondary schools in Southwest Nigeria. Two hypotheses guided the study: whether leaders’ discipline and accountability significantly relate to teacher productivity. A descriptive survey research design was employed to collect data from a representative sample. The population comprised all public secondary school teachers across the six states of Southwest Nigeria—Ekiti, Lagos, Ogun, Ondo, Osun, and Oyo. A multistage sampling procedure selected 1,500 respondents from 75 schools, with principals purposively chosen to assess teacher productivity. Data were collected using two self-designed instruments: the Discipline and Accountability Questionnaire (DAQ) and the Teacher Productivity Questionnaire (TPQ). The DAQ measured leaders’ discipline and accountability on a four-point Likert scale, while the TPQ assessed teacher productivity indicators such as lesson preparation, instructional delivery, use of resources, classroom management, mastery of subject matter, and communication skills on a five-point scale. Both instruments underwent face and content validation and demonstrated high reliability (DAQ = 0.81; TPQ = 0.84). Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and Pearson’s Product Moment Correlation at 0.05 significance. Results indicated significant positive relationships between school leaders’ discipline (r = 0.425, p < 0.05) and accountability (r = 0.508, p < 0.05) and teacher productivity. The findings highlight that disciplined and accountable leadership enhances teacher performance, organization, and professional commitment, creating a productive educational environment. It is recommended that schools implement clear disciplinary policies, accountability mechanisms, leadership training, and professional development programs emphasizing ethical conduct and responsibility to strengthen teacher productivity. Keywords: Teacher productivity, discipline, accountability, Public secondary school,