Administrative Support and Professional Development as Drivers of Instructional Efficiency Among Public Secondary School Teachers in Osun State, Nigeria

Abstract

This study examined the influence of administrative support and professional development on instructional efficiency among public secondary school teachers in Osun State, Nigeria. A mixed-method descriptive survey design was adopted to provide both quantitative and qualitative insights into leadership practices and professional learning experiences in schools. The population comprised all public secondary school teachers and principals in the state, from which a sample of 360 respondents (324 teachers and 36 principals) was selected using a multi-stage sampling procedure. Using a mixed-methods survey of 324 teachers and interviews with 36 principals, the study advances prior analysis by estimating a multiple regression model and integrating qualitative explanations of leadership and learning processes. Findings indicated that both administrative support and professional development significantly predict instructional efficiency, with professional development showing the stronger unique effect, while administrative support exerts both direct and enabling influences. Qualitative findings explain how feedback, recognition, time allocation, and resource access translate professional learning into classroom practice. The study contributes to international debates on instructional leadership by evidencing the complementary—rather than substitutive—roles of leadership support and sustained professional learning in resource-constrained systems. Limitations and policy-relevant implications are discussed. The study concludes that instructional efficiency in public secondary schools is best achieved through the integration of supportive leadership practices and sustained professional development. It is therefore recommended that education authorities institutionalize continuous professional learning and strengthen leadership capacity to improve teaching outcomes.