ASSESSMENT OF INTERNAL QUALITY ASSURANCE PRACTICES OF PRINCIPALS IN PUBLIC AND PRIVATE SECONDARY SCHOOLS IN ANAMBRA STATE

The descriptive survey research design was adopted for this study. This study was carried out in Anambra state. There are 21 Local Government Areas in the state. The population for this study is 739 respondents. This is made up of all the 258 principals in the 258 public secondary schools and 481 principals in the 481 private schools in the State. The sample size for this study is 370 respondents. This is made up of 129 principals in public secondary schools and 241 principals in private secondary schools in the state. The instrument for data collection is a structured questionnaire titled “Internal Quality Assurance Practice Questionnaire” (IQAPQ). The instrument was validated by three experts, two in the Department of Educational Management and Policy, and one in the Department of Educational Foundations (Measurement and Evaluation Unit), all in Nnamdi Azikiwe University. The reliability of the instrument was established using Cronbach alpha method. The alpha coefficients of 0.73 and 0.74 were obtained. The researcher administered the instrument directly on the respondents with the help of six research assistants who are teachers in the sampled schools. Data collected for the study were analysed using descriptive statistics of mean and standard deviation to answer the research questions. Based on the data analysis, major findings of the study are as follows: Principals in private secondary schools practice internal quality assurance with regards to quality care, guidance and safety and to effective school leadership to great extent while their public secondary school counterparts practice same to low extent. There is significant difference in the mean ratings of principals in public and private secondary schools on the extent they ensure that students are provided with quality care, guidance and safety as well as on learners learning and achievement.