Principals’ Demographic Variables and Financial Management Effectiveness in Public Secondary Schools in Calabar Education Zone, Cross River State, Nigeria

This study investigated the influence of demographic variables on principals’ financial management effectiveness in public secondary schools in Calabar Educational Zone of Cross River State. Ex post facto research design was adopted for the study. The study’s population comprised 84 principals from the 84 public secondary schools in the study area; a census was carried out as the population was small and so manageable for the study. A 30-item, modified four option likert type questionnaire titled: Principals Financial Management Effectiveness Questionnaire (PFMEP) was used for data collection. Cronbach Alpha was used to ascertain the reliability of the instrument. Two null hypotheses were formulated and tested at .05 Alpha level using independent t-test and one way ANOVA statistical analysis technique. The result revealed that both gender and years of working experience significantly influenced principals’ financial management effectiveness in terms of budgeting, generation of revenue, prioritization of funds, disbursement of funds and financial reporting. Based on the findings, it was recommended among others that principals should be encouraged to update themselves in financial management and accounting procedures through in service training and refresher courses.