School-Based Management and Effectiveness of Public Secondary School Principals in Cross River State, Nigeria

This paper examined the extent to which some of the functions of the State Secondary Education Board (SSEB) have been delegated to Principals of Secondary Schools in Cross River State, in line with school-based management. Four research questions guided the study. A questionnaire [School-based Management and Principals Effectiveness Questionnaire (SMPEQ)] was developed, validated and used for data collection from 30 principals drawn from the 232 public secondary schools. The data were analyzed using descriptive statistics (percentages). We found that the educational system in Cross River State is still plagued with functional failures (overcentralization), resulting in its inability to achieve its statutory roles, objectives and aspirations. We suggest that the adoption of School-based management by way of increasing the principals’ sphere of influence would facilitate effective service delivery in schools.Keywords: school-based management, principals’ effectiveness, public secondary schools