Strategic Communication by Principals and its Impact on Teachers’ Job Performance in Post-basic Schools in North-East Nigeria

Abstract

The effective communication is a cornerstone of educational leadership, influencing teacher motivation, performance, and student outcomes. In North-East Nigeria, where post-basic schools face challenges such as insecurity, inadequate infrastructure, and limited supervision, the communication competence of principals is a key determinant of instructional effectiveness. This study employed a correlational survey design to investigate the influence of principals’ communication skills on teachers’ job performance in post-basic schools across Adamawa, Gombe, Bauchi, and Taraba States. The population comprised 19,797 teachers and principals, from which 592 respondents (516 teachers and 76 principals) were selected using stratified and simple random sampling. Two validated instruments—the Principals’ Communication Skills Questionnaire (PCSQ) and Teachers’ Job Performance Scale (TJPS)—were used for data collection. Data were analyzed using mean, standard deviation, Pearson correlation, regression, and ANOVA at the 0.05 significance level. Findings revealed that principals’ communication skills were generally high (M = 3.61, SD = 0.59) and significantly predicted teachers’ job performance (β = 0.84, p < 0.001, R² = 0.71). ANOVA results confirmed a statistically significant difference in teachers’ job performance based on principals’ communication skill levels (F (1, 590) = 243.2, p < 0.001), with a large effect size (ω² ≈ 0.70). Assumptions of normality and homoscedasticity were met, validating the regression model. The study concludes that effective, respectful, and consistent communication by principals significantly enhances teachers’ job performance. It recommends institutionalizing feedback mechanisms, conducting periodic communication audits, and strengthening principals’ professional development in communication and interpersonal skills to improve instructional quality and educational outcomes in the region.