ASSESSMENT OF PRINCIPALS’ CONFLICT MANAGEMENT STRATEGIES ON TEACHING AND LEARNING IN SECONDARY SCHOOLS IN OYO METROPOLIS OF OYO STATE

Abstract

This study examined the assessment of principals’ conflict management strategies on teaching and learning in senior secondary schools in Oyo Metropolis, Oyo State. The study adopted the descriptive survey research design. Purposive sampling technique was used to select fifty principals for the study. Questionnaire was designed to elicit information. Simple percentages and frequency counts were used to analyze three research questions. The findings revealed that poor physical working conditions, unreasonable demands by school administration, unrealistic academic targets for students by teachers, unethical teaching practices and gaps in communication are some of the common causes of conflict in secondary schools. Also, it was found that collaborating, compromising, negotiation, reinforcement and mediation are some of the strategies principals use in settling conflicts in secondary schools. The findings of this study also revealed that the effect of principal conflict management skills on teaching and learning improves teaching and learning, enhances the tone of discipline in secondary schools, it closes the gap of communication between the teachers and the principals and it enhances effective utilization of school resources. Based on the findings, the study recommended that there was a need for school principals to employ the most optimal approach in handling students’ conflicts in order to forestall occurrences and that seminar or conferences should also be organized for school principals on conflict management.