Problem Facing Co- Educational Secondary Schools Principals in Palestine

Statement of the Problem: The Purpose of this study was to investigate the administrative, technical and social problems facing principals in co-educational secondary schools in Palestine as perceived by them. It also aimed at revealing them. The study investigated the degree to which principals suffered from them? It also attempted to ascertain the effects of the study variables on the principal's perceptions of such problems. The Research Questions: To achieve its objectives, the study attempted to answer the following questions: 1. What is the extent of the perception of co-educational government and private secondary schools' principals of administrative, technical and social problems in Palestine. 2. is there any difference in the principals' perceptions of the administrative, technical and social problems attributed to: Sex, (male/ female); Supervision, (governmental/ private); School Location, (City/ village); Qualification, (below B.A./ B. A/ above B.A.); Student body, (below 200 st./ above 200 st); School Level, (Basic and Secondary/ Only Secondary); Principals' Experience in School Administration,(below5 yrs./above 5 yrs) Specialization, (Scientific/ Literary)? Methodology: The study population consisted of all principals of private and governmental co-educational secondary schools in Palestine, in the scholastic year 1997 / 1998. Their total number, was (96) principals, distributed in the directorates of Jerusalem; the capital, Ramallah, Nablus, Salfeet, Qalqilia, BethLamem , Jenin, Tulkarm, Jerico, Gaza and Hebron. A study questionnaire was developed, tested and validated. It included (62) items covering the areas of: a) Administrative problems related to students; school administration and high educational administrations; parents; building facilities and school equipment. b) Technical problems related to students; teachers and curricula. Social problems. The collected data were analyzed by the computer. The statistical methods of means, percentages and standard deviations were used in testing. the questions of the study. Findings: The findings support that the principals in co-educational secondary schools do suffer from administrative, technical and social problems. The most important findings were: 1. Deprivation of girls in secondary co-educational schools from learning Home Economics. 2. The absence of female social advisors in schools. 3. The negligence of offering specialized training courses for principals of coeducational secondary schools. 4. The absence of female teachers in co-educational schools. The inability for some male teachers to evaluate the girls in Physical and Vocational Education. 6. The complaint of girls in co-education schools about the restrictions placed upon them as compared to those in girls' schools. 7. Girls' feeling of frustration for not taking part in Physical Education activities. 8. The inappropriateness of curricula's contents to the Palestinian community conditions and needs. 9. The lack of concentration on topics of great importance to the girls' future. 10. Because of the existing conditions; co-educational schools are mainly male dominated. Schools lack playing yards designed for girls' activities. 11. Under Social pressure; differences among parents, some girls drop out of coeducational schools. 12. Girls' shyness of taking part in school broadcasting. 13. The confusion that male teachers face when explaining many educational topics such as: impurity, cleanness and reproductive systems. Findings concluded that differences in means of principals' perceptions were in favor of male principals, Principals of schools located in villages and principals of private schools. Means differences of qualification. Principals experience in school administration, student body, school level were not large. Recommendations: Recommendations included the need for teaching Home Economics; appointing female teachers and social advisors; Constructing gymnasiums; preparing curricula that have appropriate topics to the Palestinian community conditions and needs; offering specialized training courses for principals in coeducational schools; establishing secondary girls schools in villages where needed; decentralizing administration procedures; responding to the needs of the demographic changes in co-educational schools