ROLE OF HEADTEACHERS IN MOBILIZING COMMUNITY SUPPORT FOR QUALITY PRIMARY PUPILS’ ACHIEVEMENT IN PANKSHIN L.G.A OF PLATEAU STATE.

INTRODUCTION

1.1       BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY

The school as a social organization is structured towards the training and development of human resources in the society. For any organization to effectively achieve its aims and objectives there must be a leader, under whose leadership, the school activities will be directed towards goal achievement. The educational leader at the primary school system in Nigeria is the headteacher who is in charge of all the school activities. Ozigi in Udabor O.F. 2010 recommended that the Headteacher can be called by a variety of titles; leader of the school, Headteacher, Principal, School Father/Mother, Adviser, Chief Administrative Executive, Public Relations-Officer, curriculum director, policy maker, organizer, Communicator, School Authority Educator, Projectionist, Philosopher, Provost.       

 The importance of headteachers in improving quality education and producing useful citizenry through the acquisition of appropriate skills, abilities and competences cannot be over emphasized. Headteachers assume role of supervisors, chief accounting officers, liaison officers, judges and mail runners of their schools. Primary school heads also possess adequate knowledge and skills for effective coordination of the activities of their establishments to discipline and influence goals, policies as well as programmes and strategies for procuring and managing available resources needed to achieve the goals of the school. Headteachers as the key administrators of their schools have to use different leadership styles in order to partner with the community in managing their schools.

There are different leadership style in managing the schools. Tolutope in Oyetunde, Aliyu, Haggai, & Musa (2010), identified major types of leadership styles which are, autocratic, democratic, transactional and liaissez-faire. By using these various styles of leadership, headteachers will enhance cordial relationship between their school and community and this will encourage community participation in the school activities hence lead to general development of the school. Henderson, Mapp, Johnson and Davies (2007), noted that the more the relationship between families and the school, the greater the student’s achievement. Where schools engage families in ways that are linked to improve students learning, students (pupils) make greater gains. When families are engaged in positive ways rather than labeled as problems, schools can be transformed from place where only certain students prosper to one where all children do well. Wekesa (1993), however noted that, if students are to get quality education in their schools the management of the schools need to be improved under the leadership of their headteachers.

The headteacher is seen as one who mobilizes and coordinates all the school stakeholders and resources towards the achievement of school goals. The headteachers also collaborates with the community to participate in various activities of the school, through involvement of parents from all backgrounds. The school provides information to parents on its reforms, policies and goals. The school invites parents to discuss concerns about their children and provide regular opportunities for them to inform the school authorities about events at home or in the community. Similarly, Oyetunji (2006), agreed that parents are very important partners in the management of schools. He further noted that the headteachers should be the individuals to initiate and facilitate parental involvement in schools. The headteachers initiate projects such as building of new structures, renovation and general maintenance of the school facilities through P.T.A. Federal Republic of Nigeria (N.P.E 2009), that there should be close participation and involvement of the communities in the administration and management of their schools. Involvement of communities by Headteachers in managing schools promotes quality pupil’s achievement.   

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