ABSTRACT

The purpose of this study is to investigate the challenges that are faced by headteachers in managing the human resource in their schools and the impact the challenges have on teaching and learning in the schools. The objectives of the study were to find out the issues that face the headteachers in recruitment, induction, development and motivating teachers in their schools, to investigate the challenges headteachers face in managing the support staff in their schools, to examine the how the challenges headteachers face in human resource management affects learning and teaching in their schools, and to determine the coping strategies that headteachers employ in dealing with the challenges they face in managing human resource. The research design for this study was descriptive survey. The target population for the study was all the forty five headteachers in Nzaui District while the sampling design used was purposive and all the headteachers participated in the study. The instrument for collecting data for the study was a questionnaire with both open and closed items. The data collected was analysed by use of descriptive statistics. Frequency, percentage tables and graphs were used to present the data. The data collected was analyzed using Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) programme. The following were the findings of the study; that 57.8% of the headteachers had recruited TSC teachers through the BOG in school. Headteachers (55.6%) said there was no conflict of views between the principal and the BOG during recruitment. Headteachers (93.3%) said that in their school, induction took place for beginning teachers and the main problem was lack of time due to work overload. The challenge affecting in-servicing and developing teachers, were resistance to change, lacked commitment towards learning and training. Teachers and support staff had similar financial reward that lead to an average level of motivation. The coping strategies employed by headteachers were holding weekly briefs, open forums and dialogue, encouraging team work and self drive for teachers in order to achieve targets, availing copies of the teachers code of regulation to the teachers for discipline purpose and offering remedial teaching outside school hours to cover syllabus and establishing a PTA kitty to motivate the staff. The following are the recommendations of the study. The recruitment of both TSC and BOG teachers was carried out in school through BOG. There is need to educate the BOG on the recruitment policies from TSC. There is need for creation of time by reducing the work load of HOD, deputy principal and the principal for effective induction process for beginning teachers. Teachers should not be resistance to change during the in-service and development of teachers. The headteacher should use alternative methods to motivate their staff when funds are inadequate. Support staff should not discuss teachers with students to avoid jeopardizing the role of teachers in disciplining them. The headteacher should avoid nepotism, employ skilled personnel and discourage sexual relations between students and non teaching staff. The Ministry of Education through TSC should offer teachers better salaries. The coping mechanisms put in place by headteachers are weekly briefs, open forums, dialogue self drive to encourage teachers.