PRINCIPALS AND THE IMPLEMENTATION OF EDUCATION FOR SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT IN SECONDARY SCHOOLS IN ENUGU STATE, NIGERIA

Abstract

This survey study was to find out if principals could be an impediment to the effective implementation of Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) in secondary schools in Enugu State, Nigeria. The population was 76 principals and 233 teachers in Enugu Education Zone. A sample of 36 principals was interviewed and 115 teachers administered with questionnaires, titled “Principals and Implementation of Education for Sustainable Development Questionnaire”, (PIESDQ). The questionnaire developed by the researcher was face validated by two experts in Educational Management and one from the Measurement and Evaluation Unit of the Science and Computer Departments, all from the Enugu State University of Science and Technology, (ESUT), Enugu. The reliability of the instrument was established using Cronbach Alpha method and 0.73 obtained. Mean with standard deviation was used in testing the research questions while t-test statistics was used to test the hypothesis at .05 level of significance. The findings revealed that the principals did not receive any formally designed leadership program before their appointment to leadership positions. The teachers perceived their principals as impediments to the effective implementation of ESD in schools. Recommendations were made among others that a well- planned leadership programme be designed for teachers aspiring to become principals. It was also recommended that principals acting as agents of social change should ensure that ESD is effectively implemented in school by involving the teachers in school management.