Crisis Management variables as predictors of student enrolment, teacher retention and school completion in private secondary schools

Abstract

Little empirical evidence exists on how crisis management predicts the sustainability of private secondary schools in Ikom Education Zone of Cross River State, Nigeria. Consequently, the researchers examined the extent to which crisis management variables predict student enrolment, teacher retention, and student completion. Guided by resilience theory and institutional theory, the researchers adopted a quantitative, cross-sectional predictive design. Using stratified random sampling based on Taro Yamane's formula, 176 of the 249 eligible school principals participated, giving a response rate of 89.8%. The researchers collected data online using Google Forms and analysed them with descriptive statistics, one-sample t-tests, and multiple regression. Principals reported that the effectiveness of managing disease outbreaks, violence or security threats, and accidents or emergencies was significantly above the average benchmark of 2.50. However, student enrolment (37.05%) and teacher retention (35.27%) were significantly below the 50% benchmark, whereas student completion (64.53%) was significantly above it. The result of multiple regression indicated that the crisis management variables jointly explained 67% of the variance in student enrolment (R² = .67), 43% of the variance in teacher retention (R² = .43), and 65% of the variance in student completion (R² = .65). Disease outbreak management did not significantly predict student enrolment (β = −.03, p = .695), teacher retention (β = .01, p = .895), or student completion (β = −.02, p = .796). Violence or security threat management significantly predicted student enrolment (β = .25, p = .005) and teacher retention (β = .47, p < .001), but not student completion (β = .15, p = .108). Accident or emergency management significantly predicted student enrolment (β = .62, p < .001) and student completion (β = .69, p < .001), but not teacher retention (β = .19, p = .178). These results support the need for school proprietors and education authorities to strengthen crisis preparedness, particularly school safety and emergency response, as part of efforts to improve the sustainability of private secondary schools.

Keywords

School Sustainability, School Safety, Emergency Preparedness, Risk Management, Institutional Resilience

Citation