According to Ehiametalor (2015), explain the functions which the principal has to perform are numerous and diverse. Some of the functions include the following:
1. Development and implementation of the educational programme:
This function can be further broken down into two categories which are namely;
a. Structuring of the school for purpose of instruction. For effective teaching and learning to take place in a school, a conducive atmosphere which is devoid of confusion must be created. One of the ways by which the principal can do this, is by clearly identifying positions and roles, and acquainting the position occupants with their roles and the relationship that is supposed to exist between role occupants. For example, departments based on subjects can be created with heads of department appointed to oversee the running of the departments.
b. Curriculum Development: The principal should be seen to be playing the role of the team leader in relation to curriculum development. The principal should play this role by way of serving as a guide to the various teachers either directly or in conjunction with the heads of department in terms of helping to identify relevant goals to the community, planning and selecting relevant learning experiences, helping to implement programme improvement and evaluating programme changes.
2. Development of Teaching Staff
a. The principal carries out the function of staff development by identifying and indicating the staff needs of the school. This deals with the qualifications and areas of specialization of existing vacancies and how the collected statistics can serve as a basis for their recruitments or making representations to the appropriate body in charge of employment matters
b. The second way by which the principal carries out development of staff is through orientation of new members of staff to the school system which includes staff, students are the community. The essence of this, is to help to make the breaking in period of the new employee less traumatic
c. The principal directly or indirectly assigns the new staff to his initial position. Subsequently, the new staff may be assigned to other roles where there will be optimal utilization of his experience and talents.
d. The principal can also conduct a programme of staff improvement through classroom observations and other forms of evaluation. The basis for this is to be able to identify areas of strength and weakness on the part of the teacher.
e. Based on observations by the principal, activities such as in-service training can be recommended. Staff could also be encouraged to join professional associations.
f. The principal through the maintenance of good human relations with staff, could motivate them both to learn and put in their best on the job
3. Student Relations Function
a. Since the school cannot exist without students, the first relation the principal has with students is to ensure that the students who are granted admission meet the government guidelines or those set aside by the overseeing body in charge of the school.
b. The principal should endeavor to group the students accordingly for the purposes of instruction. This move would normally help to save time that would be judiciously used for the provision of instructions.
c. The principal should also address the issue of students’ transfer which could either be intra or interstate. The principal should decide whether there is a vacancy in the class to which the transfer’s being sought and what the reasons for the transfer could possibly be.
d. The principal, through the form masters or mistresses as the case may be, should ensure that students who are repeating are adequately catered for.
e. The principal should take note of all the students who are withdrawn from the school for whatever reasons. The students’ records should be subsequently updated to reflect such withdrawals and the reasons for withdrawing.
f. In schools that provide boarding facilities, the principal should monitor the admission into the boarding section as well as the welfare of the boarders.
g. The principals should also ensure that the academic records of all students who have completed their course in the school are safely and properly stored; this is to make for easy retrieval when the need arises
