WORKFORCE DIVERSITY MANAGEMENT FOR SECONDARY SCHOOL ADMINISTRATION IN RIVERS STATE, NIGERIA

Abstract

This study investigated workforce diversity and secondary school administration in Rivers state. The design for the study was the descriptive survey. Two research questions and two hypotheses were raised to guide the study. Mean and standard deviation statistics were used to answer the research questions while the hypotheses were tested at 0.05 level of significance using z-test statistics. A sample size of 667 respondents, representing 90% of the entire population of 741 principals and vice principals from all the 247 pubic senior secondary schools in Rivers state was drawn using the stratified random sampling technique. A researcher-designed instrument titled Workforce Diversity Management Questionnaire (WOFDIMQ) was used for data collection. The instrument was validated by experts in the area of measurement and evaluation at the University of Port Harcourt. The reliability index determined for the instrument using Cronbach Alpha was 0.82. The findings of the study revealed that secondary school administrators do have some administrative strategies put in place for the management of the diversities among teachers. It was therefore recommended among others, that the government should make some specific provisions that will guide school administrators in the management of diversities among teachers. Also, school administrators should develop operational plans and strategies that are based on their specific peculiarities that will help maximize the advantages of diversities among teachers, while at the same time, minimize the inherent disadvantages.