


































 Global Journal of Education and Allied Research (GJEAR) 
Volume.16, Number 5; May-2025; 

ISSN: 2837-3707| Impact Factor: 7.80 

https://zapjournals.com/Journals/index.php/gjear 

Published By: Zendo Academic Publishing 

 

 

pg. 9 
 

INFLUENCE OF THE OPEN SCHOOL CLIMATE ON TEACHERS JOB 

PERFORMANCE IN THE ADMINISTRATION OF SECONDARY 

SCHOOLS IN ENUGU STATE 

 
1Ogbuanu, Henrietta Chidi Ph. D, 1Udeani, Justina Ph. D, and 1Aroh, Mercy Oluchi Ph. D. 

 

Article Info  Abstract 

Keywords: Open school 

climate, teachers' job 

performance, school 

administration, secondary 

education, Enugu State. 

DOI 

10.5281/zenodo.15546511 

 This study examines the influence of an open school climate on 

teachers’ job performance in the administration of secondary schools in 

Enugu State. An open school climate, characterized by transparency, 

collaboration and mutual respect among stakeholders plays a critical 

role in enhancing teachers' effectiveness and overall job satisfaction. 

This study employs a descriptive survey research design. The 

population of the study is 1077, principals 286 and teachers 791 

.collecting data from secondary school teachers and administrators 

through structured questionnaires. The principal mean rating in 

research question 1, range from 2.91-3.05 while teachers mean range 

from 2.96to3.03,. The value for cluster means for principals and 

teachers are 2.99 and 3.00, respectively, with standard deviations of 

0.81 and 0.81. The finding demonstrate that an open school climate 

influences teachers’ job performance in secondary schools. In research 

question 2, the principal mean range from 2.92-3.02 while teachers’ 

mean ranges from 2.97 to 3.02, with a standard deviation of 0.82. 

Findings reveal that an open school climate fosters professional 

commitment, motivation, and improved teacher-student relationships, 

which positively impact instructional delivery and school 

administration. This study highlights the need for school leaders to 

cultivate an environment that promotes trust, shared decision-making, 

and open communication. It recommends that policymakers and 

education administrators implement policies that sustain an open school 

climate to enhance teachers’ productivity and improve educational 

outcomes in secondary schools. 
 

 

Introduction  

Education is the grease resource that society can provide to a child. Education is an agent of change toward 

formation of the intended projection, which requires education reform to meet the obligation with the compulsive 

                                                           
1 Department of Educational Foundations, Faculty of Education, Godfrey Okoye University, Enugu. 

Email: ogbuanuhenriettac@gouni.edu.ng, tinaudeani@gmail.com, and mercyluchie@gmail.com 
 

https://zapjournals.com/Journals/index.php/gjear


Global Journal of Education and Allied Research (GJEAR)16 (5) 
 

pg. 10 
 

detailed information to achieve the goals, vision, and mission toward academic excellence (Entoh and Abdullah, 

2019). According to Obiakor and Oguejiofor (2020), qualitative education remains the fulcrum for global 

development and freedom.  There are different levels of education in Nigeria, which include pre-primary, primary, 

secondary, and higher education (federal republic of Nigeria (FRN), 2013).  However, in this study, the researcher 

focused on secondary school education. 

Secondary education is the education received after primary school and before the tertiary level.  Fabunnia in 

Abdulrasheed and Bello (2015) defined secondary school education as the form of education that children receive 

after primary education and before the tertiary level.  Secondary school education is an important level of 

education in Nigeria, where a solid foundation for higher education and useful living is laid (Ogbu, 2014).  The 

quality of a nation’s educational sector, especially secondary education, depends considerably on teachers (Emu 

and Nwannunu, 2018). Teachers are human resources that make school and education objectives a reality. 

According to Ibikunle and Afolakeni (2021), teachers are indispensable for the effective running of schools and 

education systems.  Teachers are the implementers who impact learners, values and ideas that are considered vital 

to socio-cultural, political and economic development through the teaching of basic relevant concepts. According 

to Offorma and Chukwuma and Nosike (2016), teachers are the people that coordinate all the factors in teaching 

and learning process to promote educational objectives.  Healthy interpersonal relationships are required for a 

teacher to e well on top of his work, hereby enhancing his/her job performance (Abubakar,  Udechukwu, Ogbuoji 

and Chuwujekwu, 2016).   

Job performance is the overall behaviors in relation to the job.  It assesses whether a person performs a job well 

or otherwise. Job performance is the implementation of an action or one’s ability (Fauzilah, Noryati and Zaharah 

in Ibikunles and Afolakami, 2021). Teachers’ job performance is the duly performed by a teacher at a particular 

period in the school system is achieving organizational goals (Obilad inWachira, Gitumu and Mbugua, 2017).  

One of the factors that seem to influence teachers’ job performance is school climate (Okeke-James, Igbokwe, 

Ogbo, Ekweogu and Anyanwu, 2020). 

School climate is a general term that refers to the feelings, atmosphere, tone, ideology, or milieu of a school. 

School climate is a broad term and concept that embraces the classrooms, libraries, workshops, laboratories, 

instructional materials, and the school environment in general (Ibikunle and Afolakemi, 2021). Wang and Degot 

(2015) also postulated that school climate includes academic, community, safety, and institutional environment 

dimensions that encompass just about every feature of the school environment that impacts cognitive, behavioral, 

and psychological development. According to Peretomode, (2014) and Nwangwu (2017), there are six types of 

school climate: open, autonomous, controlled, familiar, paternal, and closed school climate.  In this study, the 

researchers focused on an open school climate. Open school climate reflects a climate in which the 

principals, teachers and students are accessible and actively prepared to jointly achieve school objectives.  The 

open school climate is defined and characterized by sincerity, frankness, genuineness, low hindrance, low 

disengagement, average intimacy, high esprit of teachers, high thrust and consideration of the school head (Coda, 

Dasilva and Custodio, 2015). According to Nwangwu (2017, in an open school climate, the members of the school 

are creative, innovative and freely interact with one another. An open school climate is healthy unlike other school 

climates in achieving general school objectives (Okorji, Igbokwe and Ezeugbor, 2016). 

Despite measures taken by both the state and federal governments in Nigeria to enhance teachers’ job 

performance, teachers’ job performance in Enugu State seems to be low, which is the worry of the present study.  

Furthermore, other concerns of researchers are students’ poor performance in both internal and external 

examinations, and the host of disciplinary cases, which have been reported by principals involving teachers’ poor 



Global Journal of Education and Allied Research (GJEAR)16 (5) 
 

pg. 11 
 

performance (Eze, 2018).  The attitudes of some principals are equally devastating, as they issue orders arbitrarily 

and use abusive language on teachers and usually side where there is a problem among staff or students.  It is 

against this background that the researchers conducted a study on the influence of an open school climate on 

teachers’ job performance in secondary schools in Enugu State.  

Statement of the Problem 

The decline in thee learning outcomes of students at the various levels of education in Nigeria and Enugu State 

in particular has triggered some concerns from education stakeholders about the job performance of teachers in 

educational institutions.  In Enugu State in particular, stakeholders in education are worried about the drop in 

students’ academic performance over some years now, both in internal and external examinations between 2018 

– 2023as observed by the researchers are alarming.  Teachers who are supposed to play a crucial role in achieving 

learners’ goals and objectives are also complaining of irregularity in salary payment, poor working conditions 

and leadership styles.  The reason could be attributed to the school climate, and when not addressed, the students 

will continue to perform poorly. 

Purpose of the Study 

The general purpose of the study was to determine the Influence of Open School Climate on Teachers’ Job 

Performance in Secondary Schools in Enugu State. Specifically, the study determined the; 

a) The influence of the open school climate on teachers’ job performance teaching and learning in secondary 

schools in Enugu State. 

b) Influence of opening-up school climate on principals’ job performance in the administration of secondary 

schools in Enugu State. 

Research Questions  

The following research questions guided the study; 

i) To what extent does the open school climate influence teachers’ job performance in teaching and learning in 

secondary schools in Enugu State? 

ii) To what extent does the open school climate influence principals’ job performance in the administration of 

secondary schools in Enugu State? 

Methods  

This study used descriptive survey techniques, which are appropriate for gathering information from a sample of 

the typical tire population using questionnaires as research tools.  The sample of secondary school teachers 

considered representative of the population to determine the influence of the open school climate on teachers’ job 

performance. 

 A structured questionnaire with the title “Influence of Open School Climate on Teachers’ Job Performance in 

Secondary School (ISCTJPQ)” was used as the method for collecting data.  The survey’s 15 (15) questions are 

broken up into two groups called clusters. Cluster A only has eight elements, while Cluster B has seven.  The 

survey responses were graded on a four-point scale.  The extent scale consists of Very Great Extent (VGE) 4 

points, Great Extent (GE) 3 point, Low Extent (LE) 2 points, and Very Low Extent 1 point.  

Three specialists from Godfrey Okoye University, two in Educational Management and one in measurement and 

evaluation, all from the Faculty of Education, were given the questionnaire to determine the instrument’s face 

validity.  They carefully considered the study’s objectives, research questions and hypothesis as they evaluated 

the instruments precision, sufficiency.  The researchers used their suggestions and opinions to improve the 

instruments before using the final data collected for the study.   



Global Journal of Education and Allied Research (GJEAR)16 (5) 
 

pg. 12 
 

The researchers and research assistants distributed the questionnaire to the respondents.  The researchers hired 

two research assistants on the course of a one-day meeting. The researchers instructed the research assistants, 

who received lessons on how to react to the comments and ask questions in a suitable manner.  

The researcher examined the data and achieved the research objectives using mean scores and standard deviation.  

The average value of the option made it possible to establish the extent.  If the computed mean score was 2.50 or 

greater, the item was evaluated as being to a big extent if it was 2.50 or lower.  The criterion means of 2.50: 10/4 

were calculated by dividing the total number of response option = 4+3+2+1 = 10/4. 

A significance level of 0.05 was chosen to test the null hypothesis using the t-test statistics. According to the 

decision rule for the hypothesis, the hypothesis us bit rejected when the t-calculated value is less than the ----- 

Results  

The results of the study are presented in tables (1) one according to the research question and null hypothesis. 

Research Question 1: To what extent does the open-school climate influence teachers’ jo performance in 

teaching and learning in secondary schools? 

Table 1: Mean scores and standard deviations of principals and teachers on the extent to which open school 

climate influences teachers’ job performance. 

S/N ITEMS Principal 

286 

Teachers 

791 

      Overall,  

       1,077 

 The open school climate 

influences teachers’ job 

performance. 

X SD X SD X SD DEC 

1 Teaches are exposed to 

adequate staff development 

programmes.  

3.01 .80 2.99 .82 3.00 .81 GE 

2 School management exhibits 

positive attributes toward 

teachers.  

2.97 .81 3.00 ..83 2.99 .82 EGR 

3 Teachers are involved in 

decision-making.  

3.05 .82 3.02 .79 3.03 .80 GE 

4 There is mutual understanding 

between students and teachers. 

3.00 .80 3.01 .82 3.01 .81 GEE 

5 Teachers are constantly 

motivated  

2.91 .83 3.00 .83 2.98 .83 GE 

6 Teachers are properly 

supervised 

3.01 .79 2.99 .82 2.99 .81 GE 

7 Teachers are respected by 

students 

2.95 .80 3.02 .83 3.00 .82 GEE 

8 Teachers’ routine duties do not 

interfere with their instructional 

delivery efforts. 

3.00 .84 2.96 .81 2.97 .82 GE 

9 There is a proper relationship 

between schools and host 

communities. 

3.01 .85 3.03 .81 3.03 .82 GE 



Global Journal of Education and Allied Research (GJEAR)16 (5) 
 

pg. 13 
 

 Cluster mean/SD 2.99 .81 3.00 .81 3.00 .81 GE 

The data analysis on table one (1) above shows that the mean rating of principals’ and teacher job 

performance on the extent to which open school climate influences teachers’ job performance in secondary 

schools.  The above table shows that the principal mean range from 2.91 – 3.05 while the teacher’s mean range 

from 2.96 - 3.03. The value of the cluster mean for the principal and teachers are 2.99 and 3.00 with standard 

deviations of.81 and.81.    The standard deviation of the respondents demonstrated homogeneity in their responses.  

The findings show that the findings of the study signifies that open school climate influence teachers’ job 

performance in secondary schools in Enugu State. 

Research Question 2: To what extent does the open school climate influence principals’ job performance in 

administration in public secondary schools?  

Table 2: Mean scores and standard deviation of principals and teachers on the extent to which open school climate 

influences principals’ job performance in administration. 

S/N ITEMS Principal 

286 

Teachers 

791 

        Overall, 

        1,077 

 Open school climate influences job 

performance in administration 

when: 

X SD X3.01 .83 X SD DEC 

1 Principals adopt a democratic 

leadership style in school 

administration. 

2.92 .80 3.04 .83 2.98 .83 GE 

2 Principals are supportive of 

teachers’ industrial delivery effort.   

2.99 .83 3.04 .83 3.03 .83 GE 

3 Principals operate an open-door 

policy. 

2.97 .83 3.02 .83 3.02 .83 GE 

4 There is mutual understanding 

between teachers and principals. 

3.02 .81 3.02 .80 3.02 .80 GE 

5 Principals create a conducive 

environment for teachers and 

students. 

2.92 .80 3.05 .82 3.01 .82 GE 

6 Principals create an enabling 

environment between host 

communities and school 

management. 

3.01 .85 3.03 .81 2.97 .82 GE 

7 When principals allow teachers to 

participate in recreational activities 

in school.   

2.99 .83 2.97 .82 2.97 .82 GEE 

 Cluster Mean/SD 2.97 .82 3.02 .82 3.00 .82 GE 

         

Data analysis on table two shows that the mean ratings of principals and teachers on the extent to which open 

school climate influences principals’ job performance in the administration of secondary schools.  In the above 

table, the principal’s mean ranged from 2.92 to 3.02, while teachers’ mean ranged from 2.97 to 3.05.  The values 

of the cluster mean for principals and teachers were 2.97 and 3.02, respectively, with standard deviations of.82 



Global Journal of Education and Allied Research (GJEAR)16 (5) 
 

pg. 14 
 

and.82.  The findings show that open school climate influences principal job performance in the administration 

of secondary schools. 

Table 3: Summary of t-test analysis of mean ratings of principals and teachers on the extent to which open school 

climate influences teachers’ job performance in secondary schools. 

Group Ղ X SD DF P-Value Decision  

Principals 286 3.01 .85   H01: rejected 

    1,075 .060  

Teachers 791 3.03 .81  .060   

Data in table three for principals and teachers on the extent to which open school climates influence teachers’ job 

performance in secondary schools in Enugu State shows that 1,075 degrees of freedom, the p-value.060, which 

is greater than the 0.05 level of significance set for this study.  It is an indication that the null hypothesis was 

rejected and therefore, no significant difference was found between the mean rating of principals and teachers on 

the extent to which open school climate influences teachers’ job performance in secondary schools in Enugu 

State.  

Table 4: Summary of t-test analysis of mean ratings of principals and teachers on the extent to which open school 

climate influences principals’ administration of secondary schools;  

Group Ղ X SD DF P-Value Decision  

Principals 286 2.97 .82    

    1075 .055 H02: rejected 

Teachers 791 3.02 .82     

Data in table four for principals and teachers on the extent to which open school climate influences principals’ 

job performance in the administration of secondary schools shows that 1,075 degree of freedom, p-value was.055, 

which is greater than 0.05 level of significance set for the study, which shows that the hypothesis was not rejected, 

and therefore, there was no significant difference between the mean rating of principals on the extent to which 

open school ciliate influence principals job performance in the administration of secondary school schools in 

Enugu State. 

Discussion:   

The results of the survey show that the open school climate influences teachers’ and principals’ job performance 

in the administration of secondary schools in Enugu State to a certain extent.  The evidence from the finding of 

the study revealed that teachers who are exposed to adequate staff development programmes in school 

management exhibit a positive attitude toward teachers; teachers are involved in decision making.  Principals 

adopt democratic leadership styles in administration; there is mutual understanding between students, teachers, 

and principals. 

The findings of the study are in line with Okeye (2012) and Paige (2016), who stated that an open school climate 

greatly influences teachers’ job performance and principals job performance in the administration in secondary 

schools. The findings of the study are in agreement with Yusufu and Adigun (2010), who posited that an open 

climate is the most predominant climate in Nigerian secondary schools. 

Conclusion 

The study examined the influence of school climate on teachers’ and principals’ job performance on 

administration on secondary schools in Enugu State.  The open school climate influences teachers’ job 

performance and principals’ administration to a great extent. 

Based on the findings, the following recommendations were proffered;  



Global Journal of Education and Allied Research (GJEAR)16 (5) 
 

pg. 15 
 

1. Principals should create a more balanced and open school climate to encourage innovation and creativity and 

motivate more teachers to increase their job performance. 

Educational planners and stakeholders 

2. principals and teachers to help adopt the needed school climate that will promote teachers’ and principals’ job 

performance in the administration of secondary schools in Enugu State. 

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