ASSESSING ADMINISTRATORS’ PERCEPTION OF THE IMPLEMENTATION OF SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT GOAL (4) IN PUBLIC SECONDARY SCHOOLS IN CALABAR EDUCATION ZONE OF CROSS RIVER STATE, NIGERIA

Abstract

This study investigates administrators’ perception of the implementation of Sustainable Development Goal 4 (SDG-4) in public secondary schools within the Calabar Education Zone of Cross River State, Nigeria. Utilizing an ex-post facto research design, the study involved a total of 196 administrators, representing the entire population of principals and vice principals across public secondary schools in the zone. Data were collected using a structured and validated instrument titled: Administrators’ Perception of SDG-4 Implementation Survey (APSI-SDG4), which was subjected to expert validation by scholars in Educational Administration at the University of Calabar, and yielded a Cronbach Alpha reliability coefficient ranging from .81 to .87. Descriptive statistics, specifically mean and standard deviation, were employed for data analysis. The findings revealed that administrators generally had low awareness but perceived the implementation of SDG-4 as relevant and timely; however, its effective execution was hindered by challenges such as inadequate infrastructure, limited teacher training, and insufficient funding among other persisting issues. The study concluded that while the awareness and alignment with SDG-4 goals are evident, concrete strategies and investments are required to translate policy into practice. It recommended the strengthening of institutional capacity, increased funding, and integration of SDG-4 indicators into school planning and evaluation mechanisms.