School-Based Supervision and Teachers’ Performance: A Study of Secondary Schools in Abakiliki Educational Zone, Ebonyi State

Abstract

This study focused on school-based supervision and teachers’ performance in secondary schools within the Abakaliki Educational Zone of Ebonyi State. It was guided by two research questions and one null hypothesis. A descriptive survey research design was adopted, and random sampling techniques were employed. The study population comprised all 3,220 teachers in public secondary schools across the Abakaliki Educational Zone. A sample size of 344 respondents was determined using Taro Yamane’s formula and proportionately drawn from across the zone. Data were collected using a researcher-designed questionnaire, which was duly validated. The reliability of the instrument was established through Cronbach’s alpha method, yielding a coefficient index of 0.81. The researcher, along with five research assistants, administered and retrieved the questionnaires, achieving a return rate of 98.3%. Mean and standard deviation were used to answer the research questions, while a t-test was applied to test the hypothesis at the 0.05 level of significance. The analysis revealed that school-based supervision positively impacts teachers’ job performance by motivating students to work harder and by enhancing the visibility of teachers’ competence and effectiveness. Based on these findings, the study recommended, among other things, that school principals should regularly observe classroom teaching and provide direct feedback to teachers to improve instructional practices.