Principals, like any other Chief Executive of an employee group, face their own unique set of professional problems and challenges that may cause them stress. Heibert and Ferber (1984) indicate that staff inter-personal interactions, working conditions (inadequate resources,
poor physical plant, overcrowded classroom), time pressure (too much to do, lack of preparation time), role ambiguity and perceived role conflicts and inadequate teacher preparation (lack of skills, poor problem solving and decision-making strategies), discipline related problem and teacher-students conflicts are the most commonly identified sources of stress to both the principal and teachers while at school. This is unavoidable (Mendaglio, 1984). Thus, Bentz, Hollister and Edgerton (1971) maintain that the incidence of teacher stress was similar to other professional groups and slightly lower than in the public at large.Apart from school related stress, principals are also confronted with stressors from without in their daily administration of their schools. These may extend to both family and health problems.
These stressors notwithstanding, the principals are statutorily expected to guide the school to meet its expected demands through good leadership. Appointment as school principals is not restricted by demographic variables like sex, marital status, age and sometimes years of experience. Thus, it is possible to see male and female, married and unmarried, old and young, experienced and inexperienced principals in our secondary schools. All of them are confronted with similar administrative stressors. The management of these then determines the extent to which a particular principal could cope with his or her job expectation in his or her quest to achieve school goals.
Where such stressors are not properly managed, then the ultimate goals of the school may not be met as the stress could outweight the principal’s efficiency and productivity thus undermining school’s effectiveness
As the success or failure of any organization depends on management (which itself is stressful), it is uncertain whether the principals’ demographic variables like sex, age, marital status, and years of experience as a principal affect their management of stress in their daily school administration in Uvwie Metropolis.
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