ABSTRACT
The
study was conducted to determine the conflict management strategies of
secondary school principals in Ebonyi state, Nigeria. Four research questions
and two hypotheses were formulated to guide the study. The study adopted
descriptive survey research design. The population of the study is comprises of
all the public secondary school principals and teachers in Ebonyi State. The
sample for the study is 350 respondents drown from 20 secondary schools in two
education zones of the area of the study. The instrument for data collection
was a structured question titled conflict management strategies instrument. The
instrument was validated by three experts and the suggestions of the experts
were duly incorporated into the final draft of the instrument for data collection.
The reliability coefficient of the instrument was computed using Cronbach Alpha
reliability technique and a reliability coefficient of 0.74, 0.73, 0.80 and
0.81 for the four clusters 1, 2, 3 and 4 respectively was obtained. The data
for the study was collected with the help of four research assistants. The data
generated for the study was analyzed using mean and standard deviation for
answering the research questions while t-test statistics was used for testing
the research hypotheses at 0.05 level of significance. It was discovered from
the findings that conflicts in schools are caused by misunderstanding, not
taking instructions, poor communication, and lack of commitment, poor
management and differences in opinion. It was recommended that Government
should look into the issue of workers’ welfare to avert the incessant
industrial actions, and provide adequate facilities in schools, evaluation
standards should be designed for promotions and awards to deserving personnel
to promote job satisfaction for schools personnel and that principals should
design proper plans and follow correct procedures in managing conflict in their
schools.
CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
Background of the Study
Since
1842, when the early missionaries established the first school in Nigeria,
education has grown into a large and complex social organization. Most school
systems like other social systems, now experience conflict. Conflict refers to
perceived or experienced incompatible differences within the individual or
between two or more individuals, which may lead to some or other form of
opposition (Kroon, 1991). Gilman (2002) on the other hand states that conflict
is the natural tension that arises from differences. Furthermore a conflict
exists whenever people are in disagreement and opposition (Lussier, 2000).
Similarly, Griffin (1990) views conflict as a disagreement between two or more
individuals or groups. Moran (2001) sees conflict as an expression of hostility,
antagonism and misunderstanding between the staff members. Conflict is
inevitable and often good, for example, good teams always go through a
"form, storm, norm and perform" period. Getting the most out of
diversity means often-contradictory values, perspectives and opinions. However,
one can define conflict as all forms of opposition, disagreement, friction
between two or more parties and it manifests in the forms of arguments,
protests, demonstration, aggression and other destructive behaviours.
Conflict
is a recurring decimal in all human relationships, be it in the family,
institution or organization. The school, like any other modern institution is
not without negative features, incompatible behaviours and conflicts which
might be counter-productive and give rise to inefficiency, ineffectiveness or
dysfunctional consequences in the achievement of goals and objectives (Adeola
2003). The researcher further states that school as a bureaucratic organization
with division of labour, line of authority in terms of teacher-principal, subordinate-super
ordinate relationships, rules and regulations, communication flow - upward,
downward, horizontal, is bound to have conflicts. In view of this, Albert
(2001) states that the conflict may be between staff and staff, staff and
student or staff and the school administrator resulting in teacher-teacher
conflict (TTC), teacher-student conflict (TSC) and principal-teacher conflict
(PTC). Albert stated further that conflict in schools takes different forms;
for example teachers seem reluctant to obey the principals, they do not seem to
follow rules or accept extra work, they do not easily get along with their
principals; principals too adopt an authoritative approach, for example they
pressurize teachers for an uninterrupted working of the school activities;
while students/learners may accuse teachers of sexual abuse and harassment,
corporal punishment as well as being unprepared and uncaring. It therefore,
becomes common that conflict between teachers, the school principal and
students occur frequently at any time in the school. Conflict in schools occurs
between various individuals because of their frequent interaction with each
other. Conflict in academic settings is a daily occurrence because a consensus
of opinion concerning rules governing the secondary schools among the
participants -- principals, teachers, students, and parents. These parties,
particularly Principals and teachers, see one another as adversaries, not as
those working toward a common goal, as is generally the case in other
organizations (Adeola, 2003).
The
word conflict brings to mind situations such as antagonism, struggles between
parties, opposition processes and threats to cooperation. But not all conflicts
come in these forms especially in the school system. They come in form of needs
to be met or desires to be satisfied, disagreements to be settled and ideas to
be shared that eventually lead to change of attitudes, feelings and perceptions
(Fadipe, 2000). Determinants of school organizational conflict have been traced
to leadership styles of principals, structural variation in school
organization, employee unionism and a host of other factors (Yakubu, 2006).
The
foregoing information indicates that managing conflict in secondary schools has
been an age long challenge for educators. If there has to be a positive culture
of teaching and learning in the schools, the learning environment must be safe,
orderly and conducive to learning. Learning to constructively deal with
conflict is a life skill that secondary school community members need. When
members learn to manage their own conflicts, the atmosphere in school becomes
more pleasant for everyone (Adeyemi, 2009). However, Albert (2001) stated that
conflicts may be caused by competition for inadequate resources, contradicting
value system, psychological needs of group and individuals, manipulation of
information and perception. Conflict if not well managed, becomes
counter-productive, disruptive and unnatural and produces a deviation from the
free flow of events. There are other factors that can contribute to the
creation of conflict in organizations like task interdependence, scarce
resources, goal incompatibility, communication failures, individual differences
and poorly designed reward system (Bartol & Martine in Mgbekem, 2004).
Conflict
is necessary and useful part of organizational life. It is inevitable and an
integral part of the process of change. Indeed, it is an aid to cooperation,
not an obstacle. There are two sides to conflict, one is destructive and
unhealthy and the other has a problem-solving base where those involved are
willing to transform personality differences, to listen to others’ views and to
be open and truthful to each other, to be supportive and helpful whereas the
former defeats cooperation. Albert (2001) declared that there are productive
and destructive conflicts. Albert further stated that conflict is said to be
positive when it is constructively discussed by the parties and amicable terms
for settlement reached”. Constructively managed conflict induces a positive
performance while poorly managed conflict heats up the environment to bring
about ‘dislocation and division of the entire group, reduces productivity on
job performance,
psychological and physical injury, emotional distress and inability to sleep,
escalation of differences into antagonistic position and malice and increases
hostility (Akanji, 2005). The researcher emphasized that through conflict
management, a cooperative atmosphere is created for promoting opportunities and
movement directed towards non-violent and reconciliation. However, no matter
how one looks at conflict, it is important to realize that conflict is one of
the best ways in the world to turn the tide and improve unsatisfactory
conditions. As a matter of fact, sometimes there may be no real dispute to be
managed, but there may be need for greater understanding, cooperation and team
work to promote interpersonal harmony and good organizational climate for
teaching and learning (Bondesio, 2000). Therefore, conflict should not always
be seen as something undesirable but rather as a necessary instrument that can
bring positive consequences if properly managed.
Conflict
is inevitable in any organization and the school is not an exception, the
crucial issue is, how to react to, respond to and manage conflicts so that
positive changes will be realized and negative effects minimized. Poor
management of conflict in school administration may result to deficiencies in
the performance of the school. Conflict management refers to programs that
teach individuals concepts and skills for preventing, managing and peacefully
resolving conflicts (Jones, 1994). According to Johannsen and Page (1996),
conflict management refers to the identifying of divergences of interest
between groups or individuals and the constructive reconciling or balancing of
these divergences so that they are acknowledged and expressed. Robbins (2000)
stipulated that conflict management entails maintaining the optimum level of
conflict in a group. Too little conflict creates stagnation; too much conflict
creates disruption and indigestion. Both are dysfunctional because they
undermine group performance. Moran (2001) stated that conflict management is “a
philosophy and a set of skills that assist individuals and groups in better
understanding and dealing with.....
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