Principals’ Communication Planning Skills and Administrative Effectiveness in Public Senior Secondary Schools in Ilorin East Local Government Area, Kwara State

Abstract

This research explores the relationship between principals’ communication planning skills and their administrative effectiveness in public senior secondary schools in Ilorin East Local Government Area, Kwara State, Nigeria. The purpose of this study is to examine how specific communication planning skills open, inclusive, assertive, and aggressive affect the overall administrative effectiveness of school principals. The research employed a descriptive survey design with a correlational approach, using a sample of 266 teachers drawn from 19 schools. Data were collected through a structured questionnaire assessing principals' communication planning skills and administrative effectiveness. The analysis was performed using descriptive statistics and Pearson's Product-Moment Correlation to test the hypotheses. The findings reveal that principals who exhibit strong open and inclusive communication planning skills are more likely to demonstrate higher levels of administrative effectiveness. A significant positive relationship was found between communication planning and administrative success, particularly in conflict resolution, stakeholder communication, and feedback mechanisms. In contrast, aggressive communication skills were not found to significantly impact administrative effectiveness. The study concludes that effective communication planning is a crucial component of successful school administration. It contributes to improved leadership, better resource management, and a more supportive school climate. The research provides valuable insights for policy-makers and school leadership development programs aiming to enhance the administrative capabilities of principals through targeted communication training