TIME MANAGEMENT PRACTICES AND ADMINISTRATIVE EFFECTIVENESS OF TEACHERS IN PUBLIC SECONDARY SCHOOLS IN ANAMBRA STATE, NIGERIA

Abstract

Time management is a crucial professional skill that significantly influences teacher effectiveness, particularly in administrative tasks. In public secondary schools, teachers perform both instructional and administrative roles such as lesson planning, documentation, student supervision, and participation in school governance. Despite these expectations, school authorities in Anambra State, Nigeria, have reported recurring issues of administrative inefficiency among teachers, raising concerns about how well time is utilized. This study examined the extent to which time management practices affect the administrative effectiveness of teachers in public secondary schools in the state.A correlational survey design was employed. The sample comprised 800 teachers selected from a population of 8,187 using stratified random sampling across six educational zones in Anambra State. Data were gathered using a validated instrument, the Time Management and Administrative Effectiveness Questionnaire (TMAEQ), which covered four domains: lesson planning, task prioritization, delegation, and goal setting. Reliability testing yielded a Cronbach’s alpha of 0.88. Descriptive statistics were used to answer research questions, while Pearson Product Moment Correlation was used to test the hypotheses at a 0.05 significance level.Findings revealed significant positive correlations between all four time management practices and administrative effectiveness. Lesson planning and goal setting were the strongest predictors, indicating that teachers who structured their work schedules and aligned activities with clear objectives performed better administratively. Task prioritization enabled teachers to manage competing duties effectively, while delegation though less frequently practiced still contributed positively to workload management and timely task execution.The study concludes that time management skills directly enhance teachers’ administrative productivity. Teachers who manage time effectively are more organized, responsive, and reliable in carrying out school duties beyond the classroom. It is recommended that teacher training programs incorporate time management modules, that schools institutionalize delegation systems, and that teacher evaluations include time-use metrics. Promoting time consciousness among teachers will lead to more efficient school administration and better educational outcomes.