Abstract:
The main purpose of this study was to investigate the state of formal
communication practices in Nkroful Agricultural Senior High School. The
convergent parallel mixed method design was employed in the study.
Questionnaire (structured) and interview guide (semi-structured) were used
to collect the data and were administered personally by the researcher. In
all, 352 respondents participated in the study. 351 students and teachers
were stratified and then randomly selected. The head of the school was
purposively selected. The study revealed that downward channel of
communication was the most prevalent in the school. Staff meetings served
as the main platform through which teachers received and communicated
with administration while on the part of students, it was general assembly
and SRC meetings. Additionally, formal communication in the school was
found to be impeded by the following: failure on the part of committees to
submit reports to the administration regularly; teachers‟ and students‟
distrust for the school administrators for any information given, and failure
on the part of administrators to give prompt feedback to teachers‟ and
students‟ needs or reports. These hindrances have made both teachers and
students feel reluctant in reporting their grievances to the administration
hence causing the communication process in the school to become a oneway
process instead of a two-way process which is a recipe for agitations.
It is recommended that the upward, diagonal and horizontal channels of
formal communication should be encouraged in the school. Also, the use of
other modes of communication such as letters, memos and the use of notice
boards should be encouraged in the school.
