Emotional Intelligence, Age and Work Experience as Predictors of Administrative Practices of Public Secondary School Principals in Akwa Ibom State, Nigeria

Abstract

The study examined the difference in administrative practices of principals in Public Secondary Schools in Akwa Ibom State, Nigeria based on principals' emotional intelligence, age and work experience. The study adopted ex-post facto research design. The population of the study comprised all the 274 Principals in Public Secondary Schools in Akwa Ibom State, Nigeria. The sample size of this study comprised 163 Principal General, which represents 59.5% of the population. Two instruments entitled, “Emotional Intelligence, Age and Work Experience Questionnaire (EIAWEQ)” and “Administrative Practices Questionnaire (APQ)” were used to gather data for the study. The instruments were validated by three experts. The reliability of the instruments was determined using Cronbach Alpha Analysis with reliability coefficients of .86 for EIAWEQ and .87 for APQ. Mean and Standard Deviation were used in answering research questions 1 – 2, while Regression Analysis was used in answering research questions 3. Analysis of variance was used to test null hypotheses 1-2 while hypothesis 3 was tested using regression analysis. All the hypotheses were tested at .05 level of significance. The findings of the study revealed a significant difference in administrative practices of principals in Public Secondary Schools in Akwa Ibom State based on principals' age, work experience and emotional intelligence. Based on the findings of the study, it was concluded that: principals’ age, principals’ work experience and principals’ emotional intelligence all significantly influence administrative practices of principals in public Secondary Schools in Akwa Ibom State, Nigeria. It was recommended, amongst others that, The State Ministry of Education should develop a clear policy for regular assessment of principals' administrative practices to identify areas where support is needed in decision-making, communication, supervision and staff motivation.