International Journal of Sub-Saharan African Research (IJSSAR)

Background: The yearning for paper qualifications in Nigeria has resulted in many forms of corruption in schools. Despite governments efforts in achieving accountability and transparency within the system, the problem of poor output from public secondary schools still persists. However, there exists a gap in knowledge on the structural relationships among principal-related and contextual factors and how they jointly influence school goal attainment in Nigerian secondary schools. Much of the existing research focuses on isolated predictors and direct associations, with limited empirical attention to the direct and indirect pathways through which these variables operate. Addressing this gap requires the application of a path analytical approach to provide a more integrated and explanatory understanding of the determinants of school goal attainment among secondary school principals in Nigeria.
Objective: The objective of the study was to determine how corrupt practices such as nepotism/favouritism, absenteeism, embezzlement, bribery and forgery inhibit school goals attainment in public secondary schools in Cross River State using path analytical model.
Method: study adopted cross-sectional survey design approach, All the 272 principals in the 272 public secondary schools in Cross River Sate were used. Data were collected using a self-developed 66-item modified 4-point likert scale instrument with consistency coefficients ranging from 0.822 - 0.830, while analysis was subjected to Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) using Analysis of MOment of Structure (AMOS), and presented using table and figure. Results: The result revealed that there were significant direct predictive effects between absenteeism and school goal attainment, embezzlement and school goal attainment, bribery and school goal attainment and forgery and school goal attainment. The result also revealed that nepotism had significant positive predictive direct effects with absenteeism, embezzlement, bribery and forgery.
Conclusion: The study concluded that lack of transparency, increased teacher’s absenteeism, embezzlement, bribery, fraud, and impede quality education and school goal attainment. Bias, irresponsible and unaccountable school personnel hampers school goal attainment.
Unique Contribution: This study has provided new insights into the factors Impeding goal attainment in public secondary schools in Cross River State, Nigeria. Hopefully, school authorities, policymakers, and government will find this fresh insight valuable in putting policies and measures to curb these menaces in our schools for the attainment of school goals.
Key Recommendation: Provision of comprehensive integrated monitoring systems to identify, checkmate and prevent corruption in the school environment.