2010 ABUBAKAR ABU AISHATU

E-mail: aishabuka@yahoo.com
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Title
Resources Management: A Tool for Effective Running of Schools by
Head Teachers in Nigeria
Abstract
The paper examined the types of resources available for use through resource
classification. Both human and non human resources were thoroughly examined. The
paper further identified the various ways that resources can be acquired for effective
utilization by the head teachers. The various roles played by teachers in the course of
managing both human and non human resources were exposed. Such roles included
developing good working relationships among their staff members. Measures by
which head teachers can mobilize resources and effectively utilize them to achieve
the school goals/objectives were also highlighted e.g. partitioning a new classroom to
decongest population of pupils in the classroom. Conclusions were drawn and
recommendation made appropriately at the primary school level in Nigeria. Some of
which included prompt payment of teachers salaries and automatic scholarship to be
awarded for further studies to teachers and provision of adequate funds and
infrastructural facilities by the government.

Country
NIGERIA

Author Details
AUTHOR
Name of author
Name of Institution
Address of Institution

Abubakar Abu Aishatu (Mrs)

Federal Capital Territory College Education,
FCT College of Education, Zuba, P.M.B 61, Garki,
Abuja Nigeria.
aishabuka@yahoo.com

E-mail address of author

Author biography
ABUBAKAR ABU AISHATU (MRS), is a Masters Degree holder in Home
Economics Education (Home Management) from University of Nigeria Nsukka in
Nigeria. She is currently a Lecturer in Department of Home Economics, Federal
Capital Territory College of Education, Zuba Abuja Nigeria. She has attended local
conferences and has written scholarly articles in both local and international journals.
This include: Enhancing Consumer Credit Accessibility and Utilization to improve
the Quality of life of Nigeria Women.

Category
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E-mail: aishabuka@yahoo.com

- Education

Theme
- Sustainable Development

Type of Contribution
- Discussion Paper

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Resources Management: A Tool for Effective Running of Schools by

Head Teachers in Nigeria
Introduction
Resources are assets used to accomplish goals. According to Olson and Defrain
(2000), resources are tools, talents and possessions used to create a life style, solve
everyday problems and reach goals for better living. Resources are also means to work
with to maintain control over ones life as well as build ones life style.
Unfortunately the abundant resources have received little attention in most
literatures. This has made it possible for people to underrate the concept Resources and
the advantage embedded in them. They are not harnessed or mobilized (Madu, 2006).
For this reason, the management of resources becomes imperative, for it is useful in the
running of home, schools and trade centers, as many resources are involved in attending
to the needs of the individuals, family, community and the nation at large.
In the school, management of resources could lead to conducive environment for
learning. Management according to Akintunde (2001) is the process by which the goals
of the organization are attained by directing the efforts of others in the system. In addition
Abubakar (2008) opined that management process entail application of four interrelated
concepts, planning, organizing, implementing and evaluating the use of resources to
achieve goals. The good foundation in the schools are the bed rock of the society which
gives rise to a great nation. And when a nation is great, people tend to be happy and more
productive. Therefore resource management is of paramount importance in development
which is the context of this paper.
Resource Classification
Resources are what enable people to turn goals into reality. They are the things
that one uses to achieve goals ones life. Generally there are many controversy over the
classification of resources. Sasse (1997) classified resources into three main groups.
These are human, materials and community resources. However, Nikel, Rice and Tucker
(1976) classified resources into human and non human. Whatever the case may be,
resources are resources. The most important aspect of resource classification is that the

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human resources are that which exist within people such as abilities and characteristics of
individuals. And the non human are those things which exist outside people, but
controlled, utilized or possessed by people such as time, money etc.
A CHART SHOWING RESOURCE CLASSIFICATION

RESOURCES

HUMAN

Cognitive
Resource
s

Mental Traits
-Aptitude
-Intelligence
-Judgment
-Goal orientation
-Adoptability

Affective
Resource
s

Human
Traits/Emotional
& feeling
-Interest
-Appreciation
-Faith
-Taste
-Patience
-Tolerances
-Honesty
-Friendship
-Job satisfaction

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NON HUMAN

Temporal
Resources

Psychomoto
r Resources

Psychomotor
muscular activity
mental process
-Energy
-Vitality
-Smile
-Sight
-Communication
and manner

Fig I

Economic
Resources

Temporal Resources
-Perceive time or time
sense
-Psychological time
-Pace of routine by as
simulation
-Biological time
-Body circadium
rhythm
-Periods of alertness
and period of
depression or fatigue.

Environmental
Resources

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NON HUMAN

Environmental
Resource

Economic
resource

Money
income

Fringe benefits

Tips
Bonus
Payment
Royalty
Payments &
Wages
Commissions
Interest

Wealth

Credit

-Medical care
-Paid vocation
-Retirement program

-Cash loan
-Service credit
- Instalment buying

-Holdings
-Real property
-House hold
Equipment &
Furnishings
-Personal possession

Environmental
Resource

Physical
environmental
resource

Social
environmental
resource

Natural tangible
environment
perceived by sense
of tough e.g.
-soil, terrain, rain,
minerals and other
land resource
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Non tangible
surrounding element
that are measurable e.g.
-air, light, sound,
temperature humidity
space and sunlight.
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Social Environmental Resource

Social organization
-cooperative human
interaction system
influences values,
norms, custom, etc
-Nuclear and
extended family
-Friends and
associate
-Civic groups etc

Economic institution
-business & industrial
establishment
-Shopping centers
-Service market-banks
-Stock market
-Business and industry

Political institutionslocal, city, country, state

and national bodies

F. II

Community facilities
and service
-Police
-Five protections
-Churches
-Mosques
-Schools
-Real ways
-Parks
-Recreative -centre
-Libraries
-Mass transit

(Adapted from Mckel, Rice and Tucker 1976)

HUMAN RESOURCE
Human resources are abilities and characteristics of individual and other resources
that can not be utilized independently of people. These human resources have been
categorized into cognitive, affective, psychomotor and temporal resources, which are
similar to the blooms, taxonomy (Madu, 2006). Cognitive resources are mental traits such
as aptitude, intelligence, judgment etc.
The affective resources are human traits pertaining to emotions and feelings
expressed in appreciation, faith, patience, honesty etc while the psychomotor resources
stresses of muscular activities and mental processes to develop traits and skills. These
comprise of fatigue tolerance level, vitality, smell, communication skills. The temporal
resources concerns the uses of clock time, this is the process of perceiving passage of
time, pace of activity routine, and assimilating time use.

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NON HUMAN RESOURCES

The non-human resources are the usable things found outside the people and in
the environment which can help to achieve goals. The nonhuman resources are further
subdivided into Economics and Environmental resources Fig. II.
Economics Resources
As the name implies covers money and material possessions which have values
and can create satisfaction. They include money income, fringe benefits, credit and
wealth.
Money: These are monetary benefit derived from capital or labour which include tips,
bonus payments, royalty payments, wages, commissions, interest, dividends, pensions
etc.
Fringe Benefits: Are resources from advantages in goods and services from
employment, but exclude money income. These include medical care services, paid
vocation, retirement programme paid by employers.
Credit: Are purchasing powers expanded through deferred payment of soft goods and
services. Examples are cash loans, service credit, installment buying.
Wealth: Is a composite of holding real property, and other income producing assets, plus
all the durables such as household equipment, furnishings and personal possession.
ENVIRONMENTAL RESOURCES
Environmental resources are classified as either physical and social environmental
resources.
Physical Environmental Resources
The physical environmental resources are further classified into natural tangible
surrounding known as the element of environment and climate perceived by the sense of
touch e.g. soil, terrain, rain and minerals. The natural less tangible are also element of
environment and climate which can be measured such as air, light, sound, temperature
and humidity.

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Social Environmental Resources

The social environmental resources are also grouped into social organization,
economic institutions, political institution and community facilities and services.
Social Organization
These are the cooperative human interaction systems that influences on
individuals, values, standard customs, norms etc. they include, nuclear and extended
family circles, friends, associate, civic groups, community, national and world
organizations.
Economics Institutions
They are business and industrial establishments that provides goods and services
to public. They are the business industry, stores and shopping centers, service markets,
banks etc.
Political Institutions
These are the governmental structures and systems that influences a persons
behaviour such as local government, city, country, state and nations and the network of
laws that each encompasses.
Community Facilities
These are shared resources provided by organizations, business or government
such as police and fire protection, churches, mosques, schools, roadways, recreation
centers, parks and libraries.
HOW TO ACQUIRE HUMAN RESOURCES BY HEAD TEACHERS
Acquiring resources is crucial so that they can be effectively managed to improve
the quality of life desired. It is not always what a people have but what they can do with
the resources count most in the long run.
In the case of the ability of man for production work is routed on his capacity and
potentials, capacity consist the individuals cognitive, (mental) psychomotor (physical)
and affective (attitudinal, Fig. 1). While potentials are the latent, hidden abilities and

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talents that can be activated and developed for superior performance. Human resources
have to be identified, tested for their quality, the degree of excellence of each of the
cognitive, affective and psychomotor, are properties available for productive work.
Therefore, these are the qualities to be looked for by head teachers in order to employ
teachers. The process can be enhanced through recruitment, selection and placement.
Recruitment: Is the process of enlisting or obtaining potentials employee application
through specific policy and procedural, guidelines.
Selection: Refers to identifying and appointing a new employee from among others
applicant through laid down criteria and procedure i.e. interview.
Placement: Is the terminal employment process which is assigning a person to given job
after interview.
ACQUIRING NON HUMAN RESOURCES BY THE HEAD TEACHERS
The need for adequate Economic and Environmental resources for running of the
schools can not be overstated. This is because poor funding among others contribute to
the failure of the school programmes economics resources are needed for building
classrooms, furniture, transportation, etc. money will facilitate the construction of
adequate space, the use of better equipment, the development of better teaching materials
etc. The head teacher have available sources of funds that can assist in the running of
schools which include federal, state and local government, communities, parents teachers
association, individuals and religious organizations (Aguokogbou, 2003).
1.

Allocation by Government: The three arms of government should provide

substantially for the successful running of the schools.

2.

Education Levies: This involves taxing each adult in a given community or

state. A specific amount can be realized from individuals as tax or education
levy.

3.

Property tax and Value Added Tax: Individuals can be made to pay tax on
property owned. The tax to be paid on the property can be graduated
according to the nature, type and value of the property. The properties to be
taxed can include cars, houses etc. this can be carried out by a government
establishment or agency.

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4.

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Financial Institutions and Companies: The financial institutions e.g. banks

which should be made to donate certain percentages of their annual profits as
well as given free interest loans. While the companies can be made to pay
Education rate according to the staff strength.

5.

Parents-Teachers-Association: this group should be made to increase their

contributions. Although they are the only viable group assisting in the running
of the schools.

6.

Communities: Communities should be called upon to donate for the upkeep of

the schools especially in the area of maintenance and development of some
plants.

7.

Religious organization: These groups of people should be encouraged to

donate either by assisting in building classroom blocks or buildings as well as
provision of teaching materials.

8.

Social clubs/professional Associations/Trade Union organization can give

their donations.

9.

Land Lord can subscribe any amount of money collected as house rent to fund
schools.

MANAGEMENT OF RESOURCES
Management entails the cooperation of people and materials towards achievement
of set goals. According to Ogwo (1996) management as a term is strictly used for the
purpose of controlling activities of industries, firms, private business establishment and
large cooperation. The activities of management involves decision making and
implementation which, consist of planning or forecasting, organizing, commanding,
coordinating, controlling, allocating, evaluating and developing.
Planning or Forecasting: Is projecting or designing a course of action, which may be
short term or long term plan.
Organizing: Requires the specification of the unit functions and in turn coordinate
resources for the execution of the laid down plan.
Controlling and Allocating: This refers to the activities that involves examining
decision and apportioning available resources appropriately to meet the set objectives.

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Commending: Is the motivating function of the manager which he undertakes to

maximize employees productivity.
Evaluating: Deals with purposive assessment of the entire system on which the manager
operates.
In this case the importance of head-teachers as key administrators in schools can
not be under estimated. According to Uduchukwu (2003), they perform roles of managers
which are decision making and implementation. As the situation may arise, the head
teacher assumes roles of instructional leaders, organizers, public relations officers, liaison
officer and resources mobilizers etc.
Head Teachers as Instructional Leader
The head teacher can assume this responsibility as follows:
1.

Give the right leadership to enable the school to achieve its objective to a
reasonable degree.

2.

Identify the problems existing in his school and solve them by organizing the
human and materials resources available to him to solve the problems.

3.

Develop a good working relationship among his staff members and encourage
their creativity and innovations.

4.

Develop the right atmosphere for teaching and learning by seeking

cooperation of the teachers for operational goals development.

5.

They must arrange for in-service training courses for their teachers so as to
acquire appropriate skills.

6.

They are in charge of evaluating the educational achievement of the school.

HEAD TEACHER AS AN ORGANIZER

1.

He should use resources given to him in away that will bring good name to the
school.

This can be achieved through:

-

Assigning pupils to suitable class and classrooms,

Assigning both teaching and administrative duties to suitable staff and

drawing up time table for the smooth running of the school.

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Provide adequate facilities for teaching and learning.

Motivate the teachers to think of innovations and extraordinary solutions to

problems affecting the school. He should also motivate to think of doing
something for them.

He should organize discussions with his staff on legal matters such as civic
rights and special education, accountabilities and programme evaluation and
students assessment policy, public relation, marking the school and moving
beyond controversy.

He should offer individual support in case of emergency.

Allow for professional practices and valves.

Give reward and punishment where necessary.

HEAD TEACHER AS A PUBLIC RELATION OFFICER

1.

He is a liaison officer (middlemen) between the school and controlling

authority, and between the school and the local community.

2.

The head teacher is expected to always interpret the official policy of the
education system to his staff.

3.

He should identify cultural themes, values and dreams that people can rally
around in a community to convinced them that it is the proper goal.

4.

He is a responsible officer in the central educational authority, and to

implement the decisions of the educational authority.

5.

He is in charge of implementing any national agenda for educational reform.

ABILITY TO MOBILIZE RESOURCES TO ACHIEVE GOAL
The Head teacher can use human and non-human resource to achieve school goal

by deciding to partition a classroom to decongest population of pupils in the classroom.

The carpenter sin the school can be assigned the responsibility of demarcating a
classroom by using the supplies of ceiling board from store. The Head teacher mobilize
other carpenters to produce sets of desks and benches for the new classroom. Pupils could
contribute by bringing brooms from home to take charge of sweeping the classrooms and

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the surrounding daily; without the effort of all the persons involved in the innovation, the
new classroom would not have become a reality.
Conclusion
Teaching is a profession that allows the progress and achievement of children to
depends on how teachers coordinate their work therefore teachers level of satisfaction at
work must be between the head teacher, the teacher and students/pupils who determine
the standard of school. Conducive atmosphere will motivate all concerned with education
to work hard, but things will fall apart in an un-conducive atmosphere. Head teachers
cordial relationship with the community will attract the community participation in the
affairs of the school, but where the relationship is not cordial the reverse will be the case.
Poor instructional materials affect teaching and learning negatively, illegal collection of
levy ruins education and there should be final halt, or termination behaviours, which are
process in resources management.

Recommendations
In view of enormous importance placed in the Educational sector to boast national
development. The following should be put in place by the Federal, State, Local
Government/Non Governmental Organizations.
1. Adequate provision be made for prompt/regular payment of teachers salary.
2. Automatic scholarship to be awarded to teachers to train in order to improve their
standards.
3. Teachers are to be the highest paid in the civil service.
4. The three tiers of government should embark on provision of infrastructural
facilities in all the primary schools in the Nation in order to provide a new outlook
to the primary schools.
5. Head teacher are to undergo administrative/management courses to arm them with
tools necessary for achievement of objectives of the school.
6. Pupils are to be provided with meals or launch in schools to take care of their
nutritional status.

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