EXAMINE THE CORRELATION BETWEEN PRINCIPALS’ PERSONALITY TRAITS AND ADMINISTRATIVE EFFECTIVENESS IN SECONDARY SCHOOLS IN ANAMBRA STATE

Abstract

The study examines the correlation between principals' personality traits and administrative effectiveness in secondary schools in Anambra State. Two research questions and two hypotheses in line with the research purposes guided the study.The research uses a mixed-methods approach, combining quantitative analysis of survey data with qualitative analysis of interviews with principals in the state using correlational research design for the study. The population of the study comprised all the 263 principals (67 males and 196 females) from the 263 public secondary schools in the six education zones of Anambra State. All 263 public secondary school principals in the six education zones of Anambra State were used for the study. Three questionnaire and interview were used as instruments for data collection. The instrument was validated by three experts. The data from the trial-testing was analyzed using Cronbach Alpha method, with  reliability coefficient of 0.81. Pearson Product Moment Correlation Coefficient (r) was used for the data analysis. The findings suggest that there is a significant correlation between personality traits and administrative effectiveness, with certain traits such as openness, conscientiousness, and emotional stability being positively associated with effective school leadership. These results have important implications for the selection and training of principals in Anambra State, as well as for future research on leadership in the education sector. Overall, this study contributes to a better understanding of the role of personality in school leadership and highlights the importance of considering personality traits in educational policies and practices. This suggests that principals with these personality traits may be more effective in managing secondary schools in Anambra State. However, further research is needed to determine the extent to which these traits can be developed and nurtured in individuals for optimal administrative effectiveness. Additionally, the implications of these findings for school leadership and educational policy are discussed.