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Volume. 6, Number 4; April - 2021 

 

 

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IMPACT OF EDUCATION LAW ON STAFF PERSONNEL 

GOVERNANCE IN THE SECONDARY SCHOOLS IN NIGERIA 
 

Rev.Fr. Barr Onubuleze Franklin kelechi (Ph.D) and 
Department of Educational Management, Faculty of Education, Enugu State University of Science 

and Technology (ESUT) Enugu, Nigeria 

Dr Akpagu Cletus I. 

Ebonyi state college of education ikwo 

 

 

Keywords: 

Education Law, 

Education and Staff 

Personnel 

 

 ABSTRACT  

The study investigated the education law and staff personnel 

governance on secondary school level in Nigeria. Two research 

questions were posed and two hypotheses formulated to guide the 

study. The hypotheses were tested at p>0.05 level of significance. 

Survey research design was adopted for the study. The population of 

the study was made up of 120 urban and rural teachers in selected 

secondary schools in Enugu State. A 10 item questionnaire was used 

as the instrument for data collection. The reliability index of 0.79 was 

obtained for the instrument using Cronbach Alpha. Mean with 

standard deviation was used to analyze data related to research 

questions. The results of data analysed revealed among others that 

education law has a great impact on staff personnel governance in 

secondary schools relating to the employment of teaching staff. One 

of the recommendations made was government in Nigeria to ensure 

that there is no favouritism in the disbursement of funds in secondary 

schools in order to provide the needed infrastructural facilities  
 

 

 

Introduction 

     The School administration is different from 

that of enterprises due to its goal. However, like 

any other organization, the school needs means 

to run efficiently. These means are mainly of 

human, material, financial, legal and 

technological nature. The existence of these 

means is not enough in itself; there is a need to 

make a rational utilization and combination 

which fundamentally remains the responsibility 

of the staff personnel with a law as a backup 

(Ogbonnaya, 2009).  

     Education law is a set of rules and regulations 

that guide the workings of an education system. 

Many regions have detailed educational law 

systems, in order to create comprehensive 

educational policies for a specific nation. 

Education law may deal with the creation and 

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funding of schools and school policy, teacher 

requirements and the rights of students. 

Education law is also the portion of the law in a 

state, country or city that specifically 

governs educational bodies such as public and 

private schools and universities. 

Various education laws cover every aspect 

of education and school systems (Okeke, 2007). 

The author further posited that, the pursuit of 

education is seen by many as key to creating a 

productive citizenry. By instilling basic 

knowledge such as reading, writing, science and 

mathematics, schools help produce 

knowledgeable workers that are primed for 

work or for additional training in a specialized 

field. This, in turn, creates a more skilled 

workforce, which can benefit the economy and 

well-being of an entire nation.  

     However, legal means of a secondary school 

are constituted of legal texts, rules and 

instructions to which are added contracts that 

the school signs with individuals. The respect of 

all legal means of the school contributes to the 

fulfillment of planned objectives. Indeed, the 

strict application of all texts governing the 

school helps to prevent and resolve conflicts and 

problems which may occur. It is also a sign of 

the application of education general policy 

because the school legislation reflects this 

policy. The respect of this national policy is 

therefore translated into the application of these 

legal documents; which will allow our education 

system to achieve its mission by the help of staff 

personnel being guided by appropriate 

education law. For these reasons, many 

governments consider education to be a 

priority. 

     Education is an important tool for creating 

national awareness, positive change and 

development. The growth of a nation’s 

economy, politics and social values mostly 

depend on the quality and quantity of education 

the nation could offer its citizens. Nigeria for 

example, advocates for the philosophy of 

education that could cater for the needs of her 

citizens. Nwadialo (2004) noted that the rate of 

return to a nation from investment in education 

is greater than that from any form of 

investment. Education in Nigeria is overseen by 

the Ministry of Education. Local authorities take 

responsibility for implementing state-controlled 

policy regarding public education and state 

schools. The education system is divided 

into Kindergarten, Primary 

education, Secondary education and Tertiary 

education. One of the educational levels where 

the government invests much is the secondary 

education level. 

     The broad goal of Nigerian secondary 

education as specified by the Federal Republic 

of Nigeria (2013) is summed up to be; preparing 

students for useful living within the society and 

higher education. It has been observed by 

Adebayo (2007) that achieving these objectives 

depends largely on the quality of staff personnel 

and their adherence to the laws guiding 

education. Indeed, staff personnel today face a 

big challenge not only to know different tools of 

secondary school management but also to 

maintain the required professionalism to 

efficiently handle the available means. This goes 

further because some of them do not yet master 

the basic principles of school management or 

face problem of understanding which may 

hinder the efficiency of the general 

administration of the school. Furthermore, the 

initial training of some of them does not allow 

them to acquire enough knowledge in school 

governance. The necessity of continuous 

training of Nigerian secondary schools 

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https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nigerian_Federal_Ministry_of_Education
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Local_Government_Areas_of_Nigeria
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Public_education
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/State_schools
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/State_schools
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kindergarten
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Primary_education
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Primary_education
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Secondary_education
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tertiary_education
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tertiary_education


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managers finds its justification. No more 

explanation is needed to prove that the 

secondary school remains today one of the 

cornerstones of the development of the Nigeria 

education system because it is at this level that 

the pupil acquires the requirements to improve 

intellectual flexibility (Okeke, 2007).  

     In addition, Oboegbulem (2004) viewed staff 

personnel governance as the manpower or 

human resources management in an 

organization. Oboegbulem pointed out that staff 

personnel refers to manpower activities of any 

organization which embraces recruitment of 

staff, staff maintenance, selection, induction, 

motivation, appraisal, developmental, 

discipline, training, compensations and 

evaluation of staff for education activities. In a 

school system, the overall goals of the personnel 

administration are to recruit adequate and 

qualified staff, develop and maintain the staff so 

that they would be willing to render effective 

and efficient educational services to the 

students. In secondary school setting, staff 

personnel governance forms an important 

responsibility of the school management in 

achieving the goals of the schools in particular 

and of education in general. 

     Therefore, education law adherence of 

secondary school governance has influenced the 

activities of staff personnel in different ways. It 

is observed that in areas of employment within 

education sector, staff personnel to a large 

extent determine who is to be taken and who is 

not to be employed. Eze (2002) observed that in 

the distribution of infrastructural facilities to 

schools, the education law is paramount. 

Therefore, this study sought to determine the 

impacts of education law on staff personnel 

governance in the secondary schools in Nigeria.      

 

Statement of the Problem 

Education law can be a vital factor that 

influences decisions in the management of 

secondary schools in various situations by the 

staff personnel. Since the government has taken 

over the control and management of secondary 

schools, political issues, societal interest and 

environmental influences on the management 

of secondary schools have come to the fore. 

Some secondary schools in Nigeria are known to 

be doing well with experience teaching staff, 

good equipments and adequate infrastructure 

while others unfortunately suffer serious 

deprivations. Although, there are a number of 

researches directed at the level of governance of 

staff personnel and its consequences in relation 

to educational policies and National 

development, none so far has been specific on 

the impacts of education law on staff personnel 

governance of the secondary school 

improvement. Hence, the problem of this study 

is what are the impacts of education law on staff 

personnel governance of secondary schools in 

Nigeria? 

Research question 

The following research questions guided the 

study: 

i. what are the impacts of education law on 

staff personnel governance of secondary 

schools relating to employment of 

experience teaching staff? 

ii. what are the impacts of education law on 

staff personnel governance of secondary 

schools relating to the provision of 

infrastructural facilities? 

Hypotheses  

The following null hypotheses were tested at 

P<0.05; 

HO1: There is no significant difference in the 

mean ratings of urban and rural teachers on the 

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impacts of education law on staff personnel 

governance of secondary schools relating to 

employment of experience teaching staff. 

HO2: There is no significant difference in the 

mean ratings of urban and rural teachers on the 

impacts of education law on staff personnel 

governance of secondary schools relating to the 

provisions of infrastructural facilities. 

Research Method 

     Survey research design was used for the 

study. The study covered some of the schools in 

Enugu education zone. The education zone 

comprises thirty (30) schools spread out across 

three Local Government Areas (LGAs) namely: 

Enugu East, Enugu North and Isiuzo. Enugu 

education zone is one of the six education zones 

in Enugu State which is in Nigeria. The 

researcher purposively sampled ten secondary 

schools from the zone. The population of the 

study was made up of 120 teachers which were 

60 urban teachers and 60 rural teachers. The 

instrument used for data collection was a 

researcher made structured questionnaire, 

which was validated by three experts in the 

Faculty of Education, ESUT. The instrument 

comprised 10 questionnaire items divided in 

clusters according to the two research 

questions. Reliability of the instrument was 

determined using Cronbach Alpha reliability 

estimate, at the end of which a reliability index 

of 0.79 was obtained. Copies of the 

questionnaire were administered to all the 

teachers by the researcher. Mean with standard 

deviation was use to analyse data related to 

research questions. The degree of agreed was 

determined by finding the mean of the values 

assigned to the options. In rating the computed 

mean scores that range from 2.50 and above 

was regarded as being agreed while the item 

that falls below 2.50 was regarded as disagree.  

     The criterion mean of 2.50 was gotten by 

summing up the weighted options 

(4+3+2+1=10) and dividing it by total number 

of response options (4) as follows; 10/4=2.50. 

The t-test statistics was used to test the null 

hypothesis at 0.05 level of significant. The 

decision rule for the hypothesis were that, 

hypothesis was not rejected when the t-

calculated value is less than the critical table 

value, but rejected when the t-calculated value is 

greater than the critical table value.  

 

Research Question 1: what are the impacts of 

education law on staff personnel governance of 

secondary schools relating to employment of 

experience teaching staff?  

 

 

  

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Table 1: Mean response scores of urban and rural teachers on the impacts of education 

law on staff personnel governance of secondary schools relating to employment of 

experience teaching staff. 

    Urban Teachers     Rural Teachers 

S/
N 

                        Items                                        X  SD   Dec.          X   SD Dec. 

1 Bias in the appointment of inexperienced 
personnel to carryout duties leads to inefficiency. 2.54 0.86 Agree 2.66 0.87 Agree 

2 The issues of favouritism in the appointment of 
staff to work in the school system leads to conflict 
among staff personnel. 

2.63 1.03 Agree 2.81 0.95 Agree 

3 Recruitment of unqualified teachers into secondary 
schools leads to low quality of teaching. 2.51 0.92 Agree 2.60 0.90 Agree 

4 The teaching staff in my school are experts in their 
disciplines. 2.35 0.88 

Disagre
e 

2.27 1.15 Agree 

5 Most of the teaching staff in my school teach 
subjects that they did not study in school. 2.67 0.79 Agree 2.55 0.99 Agree 

 

                Cluster mean 2.54 0.90 Agree 2.58 0.97 Agree 

 

Data presented on Table 1 show that the 

respondents agreed on items 1, 2, 3 and 5 but 

disagreed on item 4. The urban teachers mean 

ranged from 2.35 to 2.67 while that of rural 

teachers ranged from 2.27 to 2.66. In addition, 

they were cluster means of 2.54 and 2.58 for 

Urban and Rural Teachers and standard 

deviations of 0.90 and 0.97 respectively. These 

imply that there is an impact of education law 

on staff personnel governance of secondary 

schools relating to employment of experience 

teaching staff. 

Research Question 2: what are the impacts 

of education law on staff personnel governance 

of secondary schools relating to the provision of 

infrastructural facilities? 

  

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Table 2: Mean response scores of urban and rural teachers on the impacts of education 

law on staff personnel governance of secondary schools relating to the provision of 

infrastructural facilities. 

    Urban Teachers     Rural Teachers 

S/N                      Items                                         X  SD   Dec.          X   SD Dec. 

6 There are adequate classrooms in my school. 2.68 0.83 Agree 2.62 1.00 Agree 

7 There is a standard laboratory. 2.56 0.94 Agree 2.84 1.02 Agree 

8 Staff personnel always provide seats in the 

various classrooms. 
2.58 0.99 Agree 2.68 0.97 Agree 

9 There is adequate sport equipment in our 

school. 
2.78 1.02 Agree 2.66 0.88 Agree 

10 There is standard science equipment in our 

school. 
2.97 0.89 Agree 2.91 0.89 Agree 

 
                  Cluster mean 2.71 0.93 Agree 2.74 0.95 Agree 

 

Data presented on Table 2 show that the 

respondents agreed on all the items. The urban 

teachers mean ranged from 2.56 to 2.97 while 

that of rural teachers mean ranged from 2.62 to 

2.91. In addition, they were cluster means of 

2.71 and 2.74 for Urban and Rural Teachers 

and standard deviations of 0.93 and 0.95 

respectively. These imply that there is an impact 

of education law on staff personnel governance 

of secondary schools relating to the provision of 

infrastructural facilities. 

HO1: There is no significant difference in the 

mean ratings of urban and rural teachers on the 

impacts of education law on staff personnel 

governance of secondary schools relating to 

employment of experience teaching staff. 

 

 

Table 3: t-test of significant difference between the mean scores of urban and rural 

teachers on the impacts of education law on staff personnel governance of secondary 

schools relating to employment of experience teaching staff 

Group     N    Mean      SD      Df t-cal t-crit Decision 

Urban 

Teachers 

60 2.54 0.90  

     

    118 

 

 

0.24 

 

 

1.98 

Not 

rejected 

Rural 

Teachers 

60 2.58 0.97     

 

     

Table 3 above presents the independent t-test 

analysis of the mean difference in the response 

opinions on the impacts of education law on 

staff personnel governance of secondary schools 

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relating to employment of experience teaching 

staff. The result showed that the calculated t-

value (0.24) was less than the critical value 

(1.98). The null hypothesis was not rejected. 

Therefore, there was no significant difference 

between the mean scores of Urban and Rural 

Teachers on the impacts of education law on 

staff personnel governance of secondary schools 

relating to employment of experience teaching 

staff. 

HO2: There is no significant difference in the 

mean ratings of urban and rural teachers on the 

impacts of education law on staff personnel 

governance of secondary schools relating to the 

provisions of infrastructural facilities. 

 

 

Table 4: t-test of significant difference between the mean scores of urban and rural 

teachers on the impacts of education law on staff personnel governance of secondary 

schools relating to the provisions of infrastructural facilities 

Group     N    Mean      SD      Df t-cal t-crit Decision 

Urban 

Teachers 

60 2.71 0.93  

     

    118 

 

 

0.18 

 

 

1.98 

Not 

rejected 

Rural 

Teachers 

60 2.74 0.95     

     

 Table 4 above presents the independent t-test 

analysis of the mean difference in the response 

opinions on the impacts of education law on 

staff personnel governance of secondary schools 

relating to the provisions of infrastructural 

facilities. The result showed that the calculated 

t-value (0.18) was less than the critical value 

(1.98). The null hypothesis was not rejected. 

Therefore, there was no significant difference 

between the mean scores of Urban and Rural 

Teachers on the impacts of education law on 

staff personnel governance of secondary schools 

relating to the provisions of infrastructural 

facilities. 

Summary of data analysis      

From the results of the data analysis, it was 

found out that: 

i. there is an impact of education law on 

staff personnel governance of secondary 

schools relating to employment of 

experience teaching staff; 

ii. there is an impact of education law on 

staff personnel governance of secondary 

schools relating to the provision of 

infrastructural facilities;  

iii. there was no significant difference 

between the mean scores of Urban and 

Rural Teachers on the impacts of 

education law on staff personnel 

governance of secondary schools relating 

to employment of experience teaching 

staff; and 

iv. there was no significant difference 

between the mean scores of Urban and 

Rural Teachers on the impacts of 

education law on staff personnel 

governance of secondary schools relating 

to the provisions of infrastructural 

facilities. 

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Discussion of Findings 

     The results of the data analysed clearly 

shared the position of the respondents with 

respect to the assessment of educating Nigerian 

children amidst the challenges of insecurity in 

the country. 

     The study in research question one revealed 

that there is an impact of education law on staff 

personnel governance of secondary schools 

relating to employment of experience teaching 

staff. In other words, it showed that both Urban 

and Rural Teachers agreed that, the education 

law has a positive impact on the staff personnel 

governance relating to the employment of 

teaching staff. The finding is in line with the 

statements of Ogunu (2006) that education law 

influences the appointment, promotion and 

transfer of teachers. The author further 

observed that in the school situation, staff 

personnel governance forms an important 

responsibility of the school administration in 

achieving the goals of the school in particular 

and in education in general.  With reference to 

Table 3 hypothesis 1, it shows that there was no 

significant difference between the mean scores 

of Urban and Rural Teachers on the impacts of 

education law on staff personnel governance of 

secondary schools relating to employment of 

experience teaching staff. 

     The study in research question two revealed 

that there is an impact of education law on staff 

personnel governance of secondary schools 

relating to the provision of infrastructural 

facilities. The findings of this present study 

support Ogbonnaya (2009) who stated that 

education law influences the provision of basic 

infrastructures in schools. Ogbonnaya reported 

that there is quota system in the provision of 

science equipment that government determines 

where schools are cited. Okeke (2009) also 

stated that education law influences the 

provision of sports equipment as federal 

government colleges and schools in the urban 

cities, particularly state capitals are more 

favoured than those in the rural areas. 

Conclusion  

     Education is very important in every nation 

of the world but it is usually influenced in 

various ways and education law is one of the 

ways. The purpose of this study was to 

determine the impact of education law on staff 

personnel governance in secondary schools in 

Nigeria. It is perceived that education law 

influences government interference in 

secondary education in staff-Personnel 

governance and provision of basic 

infrastructures.  

Recommendations of the study 

Based on the findings of the study, the following 

were recommended: 

1. The states governments should avoid 

quota system in the provision of facilities 

and equipments in schools. This is 

because these leads to differentials in the 

quality and quantity of schools. 

2. Government in Nigeria should ensure 

that there is no favouritism in the 

disbursement of funds in secondary 

schools in order to provide the needed 

infrastructural facilities. 

References 

Federal Republic of Nigeria, (FRN), (2013). 
National Policy on Education. Abuja: 
Federal Ministry of Education. 

Krahmann E. (2003), Conceptualizing Security 
Governance. Journal of the Nordic 
International Studies Association Vol. 38 
No 1. 

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Oche, O. (2001) “Democratization and the 
Management of African Security” in 
Akindele, R. and Ate, .B (eds) in Nigerian 
Journal of International Affairs, vol.13, 
No.1, Lagos, NIIA. 

Okorie, I. (2011), “Insecurity” Consequences for 
Investment and Employment, “The 
Punch, Thursday, September 9, pp37-38.  

Omede, W. (2012), National Security and 
Development in Nigeria. African Journal 
of Business Management. Vol 6 No 23 

Schappiro, T. (2009) “Who is a Child”? Ethics 
109 in World Bank Economic Review, 
Vol. 17, No. 2. 

World Bank. (2003). World Development 
Indicators. Washington, D.C.: World 
Bank. 

 

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