SECURITY CHALLENGES AND MANAGEMENT STRATEGIES IN PUBLIC SECONDARY SCHOOLS IN ABA EDUCATION ZONE OF ABIA STATE
ANEBI JOSEPH NGBEDE PAUL (Ph.D) anebijoepaul@yahoo.com 08038987928
AND
IGWEBUIKE, FELICIA KENECHUKWU 08037817432
DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATIONAL MANAGEMENT
COLLEGE OF EDUCATION
MICHAEL OKPARA UNIVERSITY OF AGRICULTURE UMUDIKE,
ABIA STATE, NIGERIA
Abstract
This study investigated the security challenges and management strategies in public secondary schools in Aba education zone. 3 objectives, 3 research questions and 1 hypothesis guided the study. The population comprised 1930 principals and teachers in all the schools in the 9 L.G.A’s that make up the zone. A sample of 193 subjects (37 principals and 156 teachers) was used for the study. A four-point modified Likert type questionnaire titled Security Challenges and Management Strategies Questionnaire (SCMSQ) made up of 24 items was used. The instrument was validated by experts in Educational Management and Planning and Educational Measurement and Evaluation. It was also subjected to test re-test reliability, giving a coefficient of 0.74. The data were analyzed with mean, standard deviation and z-test. The result indicated that there are various security challenges such as militancy, kidnapping, armed robbery etc in the study area but appropriate devices and measures are not being applied to tackle them. This paper recommended that the government, school authorities, host communities etc, should be proactive in tackling these security challenges. The paper, therefore, concluded that issues concerning security challenges in the study area, for now, are left to mere chances of luck which is most unfortunate.
Keywords: Security, management, secondary school.