Social Safeguards for Effective Administration of Public Senior Secondary Schools in Rivers State, Nigeria

The study investigated social safeguard for effective administration of public senior secondary schools in Rivers State. The study was guided by four research questions and four hypotheses. The study adopted a descriptive research design. The population of the study was 618 principals and vice-principals in public senior secondary schools in Rivers State. The sample of the study was 309 made up of 175 principals and 134 vice-principals representing 50% of the total population. A simple random sampling technique was used to select the sample. The instrument for data collection was a questionnaire titled: “Social Safeguard for Effective School Administration Questionnaire (SSESAQ). The instrument was validated two experts in the Department of Educational Management and Guidance and Counselling of Ignatius Ajuru University of Education. Test re-test method was used to determine the reliability of 0.72. Data were collected directly by researcher. Mean and Standard Deviation was used to answer the research questions while independent t-test was used to test the null hypotheses at 0.05 level of significance. The findings of the study showed the areas of social safeguards that influence effective administration of public senior secondary schools in Rivers State are students’ protection and welfare, physical safety of students and teachers, and emotional well-being of students and teachers. It was found out that to a high extent, student’s protection and welfare, physical safety of students and teachers, and emotional well-being of students and teachers influenced effective administration of public senior secondary schools in Rivers State. The test of null hypotheses revealed that there was no significant difference in the mean ratings of principals and vice-principals on the extent students’ protection and welfare, physical safety of students and teachers, and emotional well-being of students and teachers influenced effective administration of public senior secondary schools in Rivers State. On account of these findings, it was recommended that to ensure effective administration of public senior secondary schools in Rivers State, social safeguards like students’ protection and welfare, physical safety of students and teachers, and emotional well-being of students and teachers should be provided.