School-Run Responsibilities and Administrative Goal Attainment among Non-Academic Staff in a Nigerian Public University: Evidence from Ebonyi State University

Abstract

This study examined the association between school-run responsibilities and administrative goal attainment among non-academic staff of Ebonyi State University (EBSU), Abakaliki, Nigeria. School-run responsibilities were treated as a context-specific family and non-work demand involving school transportation, childcare coordination, domestic responsibilities and the management of family duties alongside fixed university work schedules. A quantitative descriptive survey design was used and from a population of 1,545 non-academic staff, 318 respondents were selected through stratified sampling and proportional allocation, while 270 valid questionnaire were obtained, representing an 84.9% response rate. Descriptive statistics, Spearman rank-order correlation and simple linear regression were used for data analysis. Respondents reported substantial pressures around transportation, family-work coordination and school-related responsibilities. The association between school-run responsibilities and administrative goal attainment was positive and statistically significant (rho = .331, p < .001). Regression produced beta = .267, R2 = .072, F = 20.651, p < .001. The result indicates a statistically significant association, but its positive direction requires careful interpretation because higher school-run scores represented greater reported family, domestic, childcare and transportation demands. The result should not be read as evidence that greater family pressure improves administrative performance. Instead, it points to the complex way in which employees manage family demands within an institutional environment that includes fixed reporting times, work resources and individual coping practices. The paper proposes the School-Run–Administrative Goal Attainment (SR-AGA) Model, derived from JD-R Theory, and recommends practical family-responsive scheduling, transport-sensitive work arrangements, childcare support and realistic task planning without weakening service accountability.