PRINCIPALS’ IMPLEMENTATION OF EDUCATION LAWS ON FEEDING OF BOARDING SCHOOL STUDENTS IN MISSION-OWNED SECONDARY SCHOOLS IN ANAMBRA STATE, NIGERIA

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to determine the extent of principals’ implementation of education laws on feeding of boarding school students in mission-owned secondary schools. One research question and one null hypothesis guided the study. The researchers adopted the descriptive survey research design for the study. The study was conducted in Anambra State with particular interest in the mission-owned secondary schools within the six education zones in the State. The population for the study was 567 respondents consisting of 27 principals of Mission owned secondary schools in Anambra State, and 540 teachers from the same 27 Mission secondary schools in Anambra State obtained from the six education zones in the State.  The population of the study is not only too large, it is also manageable and therefore was studied. The instrument for data collection is a self-structured four point scale questionnaire which has two sections. Section A of the questionnaire deals with the respondents Bio-Data while section B is made up of items statements specifically designed to provide answers to the research question and for testing the null hypothesis. To validate the instrument it was presented to three experts: two from education management of Nnamdi Azikiwe University Awka and one from measurement and evaluation from Chukwuemeka Odiemegwu Ojukwu University Igbariam.  The Cronbach alpha (?) method was used to determine the internal consistency of items in the sections of the instrument. The copies of the instrument of data collection were administered to the respondents in the six education zone in Anambra State. Three of the education zones were covered by the researchers while the other three zones were covered with the help of three research assistants who were NYSC members serving in the areas and given orientation for the purpose. The research question was answered using mean score ratings and standard deviation. In the same vein, t-test was used the hypothesis at o.5 level of significance. Findings indicated that there is a high extent of principals’ implementation of education laws on enforcing feeding of boarding school students in mission- owned secondary schools in Anambra State. It was recommended among others recommended that the schools should embark on school farm production to boost food production in the schools and supplement government’s efforts in the school feeding scheme.