Assessing the need for formal training of principals: implications to the effectiveness of Secondary/high schools in Yaounde VII centre region, Cameroon

Abstract

This study sought to evaluate the need for formal training of principals and its implications towards the effectiveness of secondary/high schools in Yaounde VII, Centre Region. Specifically, the study sought to ascertain the extent to which principals‟ technical skills, conceptual skills and human relation skills impact the effectiveness of secondary/high schools in the Yaounde VII, Centre Region. Furthermore, the study employed the descriptive survey design. The population of the study consisted of the principals of all government, confessional and lay private Secondary/High Schools in Yaounde VII. A sample size of 22 principals completed the survey. This sample size was drawn from schools using a non-probability sampling technique, precisely the judgmental or purposive sampling technique. A validated and reliable questionnaire for principals was used to generate data from the selected principals. The instrument was structured according to the research questions. The validity and reliability of the instruments were also ensured. Data collected using questionnaire was analysed using descriptive and inferential statistics. This was done with the aid of the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) version 25.0. The findings indicated that formal training of principals in the domain of technical skills has a strong and positive significant impact on the effectiveness of secondary schools (R= 0. 694**, P= 0.000 < 0.05). That is when principals are formally trained in technical skills, their effectiveness toward their job significantly increases. It was equally revealed that formal training of principals in the domain of conceptual skills has a strong and positive significant impact on the effectiveness of secondary schools (R= 0. 583**, P= 0.000 < 0.05). Furthermore, it was revealed that formal training of principals in the domain of human relations skills has a strong and positive significant impact on the effectiveness of secondary schools (R= 0. 433*, P= 0.012 < 0.05). Recommendations made included that, the government should create a department of educational administration in the Higher Teacher Training Colleges for the training of school principals or better still, organize compulsory induction courses for newly appointed principals. The study also recommended that, principals should carry out selfdevelopment by reading literature on administration, enhancing their,financial skills, upgrade their pedagogic aspects like how to better up their principal-students likecreating associations, clubs which are mediums for principals to create a room for exchange between teachers and students and management as well as get committed, make good use of the various seminars‟ workshops, conferences and other development opportunities the government would put in place or organizes.