PRINCIPALS’ DEMOGRAPHIC VARIABLES AND FECES MANAGEMENT PRACTICES IN SECONDARY SCHOOLS IN CROSS-RIVER STATE, NIGERIA

Abstract

Safe management of feces and proper sanitation has become very important tissue in public secondary schools in Nigeria as a result of its significant implication in the quality of life and health of both staff and students. This study therefore investigated, ‘Principals’ demographic variables and feces management practices in secondary schools in Cross River State, Nigeria’. To achieve this purpose of the study, two specific objectives were raised to guide the study, which was converted to two research questions and then transformed into two hypotheses. Literature related to the sub-variables of the study was reviewed. The design used in this study was survey research design. This design was chosen because it provides quantitative information on the features of the whole population through a chosen sample. In addition, it permits inferences to be made and generalizations to be drawn from a representative sample of the population. The research area is Cross River State, Nigeria. The target population of the study was 273 principals of public secondary schools in the three Education Zones of Cross River State (Ministry of Education, Calabar, Cross River State; 2015/2016 academic year). The instrument used for data collection was the questionnaire, which had two sections A and B. Section A dealt with demographic information, whereas section B provided information related to the variables of the study (principals’ and their feces management practices).The Cronbach alpha method was used to determine the reliability estimate of the instrument. The reliability coefficient ranged from 0.64 to 0.85. The data were analyzed using one-way analysis of variance and was interpreted accordingly. The findings of the study revealed that principals’ age significantly influences their feces management practices in secondary schools. Furthermore, this study also showed that principals’ educational qualification level does not significantly influence feces management practices in secondary schools. It was recommended among others that the government should employ principals who are advanced in age and also have higher educational qualification in the running of secondary schools in Cross River State to ensure proper management of feces and toilet facilities in their schools.