ABSTRACT

The study investigated the Influence of principals’ managerial ethics on teachers’ effectiveness in secondary schools. Descriptive survey design was used for the study.  Eight research questions and seven null hypotheses guided the study. The population of the study was 3,970 persons comprising 235 principals and 3,735 teachers from 235 public secondary schools in the three Education Zones of the State. The sample size of 349 respondents comprising of 20 principals and 329 teachers were used for the study and drawn from Morgan Table of Sample Size. Stratified proportionate sampling technique was first used to determine the population according to zones.A 4-point rating scale questionnaire with face and content validity was ascertained by three experts from Educational Management, Measurement and Evaluation in the College of Education, Michael Okpara University of Agriculture, Umudike. Reliability index value 0.76 was derived with Pearson Product Moment Correlation Coefficient (PPMCC) test. The 349 copies of questionnaire were administered with the help of three research assistants through direct delivery and recovery method. However, 340 copies of the instrument were returned and used for data analysis. Research questions were answered using mean scores and standard deviation, while the hypotheses were tested using t-test at 0.05 level of significance. The findings revealed that principals’ decision-making and principals’ interpersonal relationship to a high extent influence teachers' effectiveness in secondary schools in Abia state while principals’ integrity, principals’ communication, principals’ motivation, principals’delegation of duty and principals’ supervision of instruction to a low extent influence teachers’ effectiveness in secondary schools in Abia state. Based on the findings, recommendations were made; that the Ministry of Education should organize more leadership trainings for principals for improvement of administrative and managerial competence and for the enhancement of effective teaching and learning; Principals should delegate duties to teachers according to their area of specialization; Lesson notes and teaching activities of teachers should be supervised and monitored by principals to make for effective teaching and learning; Principals should endeavour to schedule regular staff meetings where meaningful opinions of teachers be considered and imbibed for the enhancement of effectiveness and harmonious environment; Teachers should be enlightened and motivated by principals by enrolling them into in-serving training, seminars and workshops for improvement of instructional outcome and achievement of educational goals. Limitations of the study; Implications of the findings and Suggestions for further studies were stated.