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 selfconstructed
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.