PRINCIPALS’ APPLICATION OFETHICAL LEADERSHIP PRACTICES FOR EFFECTIVE TEACHERS’ PERFORMANCE IN PUBLIC SECONDARY SCHOOLS IN IMO STATE.

Abstract

This study onprincipals’ application of ethics for effective teachers’ performance in public secondary schools in Imo state stems from the researcher’s concern onprincipals’ and teachers’unethical practices and lackadaisical attitude to duty which invariablyresults to the falling standards of education in Nigeria.Three (3) research objectives and three (3) research questions guided the study. The descriptive survey design was used. The population for the study is 6,429 made up of 285 principals and 6144 teachers from all public secondary schools in Imo state. A sample size of 150 respondents were drawn using a simple random sampling technique. The sample size comprised of 30 principals and 120 teachers’. A 30-itemquestionnairewith a 4- pointLikert scale wasconstructed by the researcher and used for data collection. In analyzing the data for the study, mean and frequency tables were used to answer the research questions. A mean score of 2.50 was adopted as the benchmark for acceptance/ rejection of the research questions.  Findings revealed that principals’ do not apply ethical leadership practices, team work strategies as well as code of conduct to ensure effective teachers’ performance in public secondary schools in Imo state. Based on the findings, it is recommended that State Education Management Board (SEMB) should organize training on ethical practices in school administrationfor principals and teachers.