DEREGULATION OF SECONDARY EDUCATION IN PORT HARCOURT: ISSUES AND CHALLENGES

This paper addressed deregulation of secondary education in Port Harcourt: issues and challenges. The population of this study comprised of administrators and teachers numbering 450. A research sample of 250 was used. Document analysis, a self designed questionnaire, “Deregulation of Secondary Education: Issues and Challenges Questionnaire (DSEICQ)” were used to elicit information. Four research questions were formulated for the study. Data from document, verbal interview conducted and percentage counts were used to find solution to the research questions. The major findings of the study include the status of public and private secondary schools, some problems encountered in course of managing the schools and strategies for improvement. Based on these findings it was recommended that Government and Proprietors should provide finance and instructional materials, employ Guidance Counselors and conduct regular seminar/workshop and follow it up with qualitative supervision/inspection. They should employ only professional teachers, provide proper remuneration, strict adherence to WAEC marking scheme, maintain a good communication system, close down unapproved schools and complementarily public-private partnership (PPP) was recommended to contribute their views/resources so as to reduce the burden on the government.