Principals’ Communication Competence and Teachers’ Attitude to Work in Public Secondary Schools in Oyo State. Nigeria

Abstract

This study examined principals’ communication competence and teachers’ attitude to work in
Public secondary schools in Oyo State. Descriptive survey research design was applied. Pathgoal
theory of administrations served as a theoretical guide for the study. Two research questions
which stated that what is the level of teachers’ attitude to work in public secondary schools, Oyo
state and what is the level of significant relationship between principals’ communication
competence and teachers’ attitude to work in public secondary schools, Oyo state, were raised and
two hypotheses which stated that there will be no significant relationship between principals’
communication competence and teachers’ attitude to work in public secondary schools, Oyo state
and there is a significant difference in teachers’ attitude to work based on the level of principals’
communication competence were raised for the study. Study population consisted of all principals
(625) and teachers (14,508) in all public secondary schools in Oyo state. Two hundred and thirty
eight (238) principals and three hundred and seventy four (374) teachers were sampled for the
study using Cochran’s sampling technique. Data were collected using two self-constructed
questionnaires titled: Teachers’ Attitude towards Work Questionnaire (TAWQ), (α = .832)” and
Principals’ Communication Competence Questionnaire (PCCQ), (α = .814). Data gathered were
analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics. The study’s findings showed positive attitude
to work among teachers (x̅ = 2.559); moderate level of principals ‘communication competency (x̅
= 2.520) and significant positive relationship between principals’ communication competence and
teachers’ attitude to work (r = .269, P<0.05) in public secondary schools, Oyo state. The findings
reveal that Principals’ communication competence and Teachers’ attitude to work significantly
predict teachers’ job effectiveness in public secondary schools in Oyo state, Nigeria. It was
concluded that moderate level of principals’ communication competency is responsible for
teachers’ cognitive, affective and behavioural attitude to work. It was recommended among others
that principals should undergo training to improve their communication competency to better the
attitude of their teachers.