ABSTRACT

This research project is a very crucial study on Pine Crest College, Enugu.  The study was motivated by the necessity to establish the extent of management and performance of private schools over public schools in recent times.

To solve the research problem, both primary and secondary data were collected.  The research instruments used in collecting the date were questionnaires and oral interview.  The respondents comprised of the personnel, staffs and others. 

The main objectives were to determine the strategies used by private schools to have made an outstanding impact.  The researcher also looked at how public schools can rise up to compete with the private one’s.

From data analysis the researcher came up with the following findings:

1)      Private schools have set out goals and objectives they are pursuing to achieve.

2)      Private schools are well able to install discipline and sound academics knowledge.

3)      It was discovered that there exist very cordial relationship between the staff and the management.

4)      Teaching aids are not available to help pupils learned faster. 

Based on the findings, I recommend the following that the school should do:

1)      There should be more supervision on staff and students for more results and stronger relationship between management and staff should be observed.

2)      More teaching aids, Laboratories apparatus, library books etc. should be provided in the schools.

3)      Management should identify the people of an organization of its greatest asset.

4)      Regular review of individual and cooperate performance should be maintained.

5)      Management should approach every task in an organized, conscious manner so that the outcome will not be left to chance.

The conclusion of this study is that Pine Crest College has been successful, efficient and outstanding in their management skills and in order for it to keep up its leadership standing and for the public schools to rise up to be a reference point, be regarded as perfect and standard, they should adopt participative leadership and laissez-faire leadership management style.

CHAPTER   ONE

INTRODUCTION

1.1     GENERAL BACKGROUND TO THE SUBJECT MATTER

In contemporary times, public schools have been experiencing some bit of inefficiency, awkward in academic performance of its pupils or students.  The system can be said to be collapsing unless adequate measures are failing to resuscitate it.

They can hardly compete with their private counter parts that are rapidly fronting the scene and are making resounding success. Private schools are now the choice of most average families while the poor and indigent families have no choice than to dump their wards in the public schools just to fulfill all righteousness that their children are in school.

The advent of the missionaries brought about education in the country.  They set up churches and mosque, in and to impact their members to follow up what they are doing with established mission school around the county.  Later, the government took over the ownership of these schools to run and manage them. The case is worse than when the missionaries owed them.

The standard of education has fallen to low in public owned schools, which pave way for private individuals to come in again to help salvage the situation.

“Education is the aggregate of all the processes by which a child or young adult develops the abilities, attitudes and other forms of behaviours which are of positive value to the society in which we lives.  That is to day, it is a process for transmitting culture in terms of continuity and growth and for disseminating knowledge either to ensure social control or to guarantee rational direction of the society or both”.  Fafunwa (1982:16).

Education is meant to enhance a person metal intellect and ethics or morals but opposite in the case in public schools while private schools are strongly refine up to the task.  Therefore this research work is design to assess the performance and the management of private schools over public schools to know how and why private schools are better off.  Pine Crest School has been chosen as a case study of this research.