Duties and Responsibilities of Secondary School Principal and Teachers: Policy Implications

Abstract

This paper discusses the duties and responsibilities of secondary school principals and teachers.  The paper adopts the template of Gulick and Urwick (1937) on the functions of the chief executive of an establishment/institution to highlight the duties and responsibilities of secondary school principals and teachers.  The acronym of the template is POSDCORB which means: Planning, Organising, Staffing, Directing, Coordinating, Reporting and Budgeting.  Principals are the chief executives of secondary schools while the teachers are potential administrators of secondary schools as well hence the application of the template to both of them and more even at their present state/level the template is very relevant to them.  If the principals and teachers understand very well their duties and responsibilities as presented in this paper and do them accordingly, there will be peaceful, harmonious relationship and coexistence within the school and outside the school communities. The schools will be conducive for academic progress of the students and for the professional development of the teachers.  The schools will become ideal, perfect and desired community for everyone to live and contribute to the development of the larger community. The paper highlights some policy issues to be considered and put in place in support of the teachers and principals.