Educational Efficiency and Management of Educational Wastage in Public Secondary Schools in Kaduna South Local Government Area of Kaduna State, Nigeria

Educational wastage constitutes a significant obstacle to the effective administration of public education, as the resources allocated to students who withdraw, repeat levels, or fail to finish an educational phase do not provide the anticipated academic outcomes within the designated timeframe. This research examined the correlation among student retention rates, student-teacher ratios, and the management of educational inefficiencies in public secondary schools within the Kaduna South Local Government Area of Kaduna State, Nigeria. The research employed a descriptive survey methodology. The Kaduna State Annual School Census for 2024/2025 indicates that Kaduna South employed 1,520 educators in its public junior and senior secondary institutions. Proportionate stratified sampling and simple random sampling methods were employed to choose a sample of 317 educators. Data acquisition was conducted via a researcher-developed instrument known as the Educational Efficiency and Educational Wastage Management Questionnaire (EEEWMQ). Professional evaluation confirmed the construct validity. The instrument yielded acceptable Cronbach's alpha coefficients ranging from .82 to .86 across the three scales. The average and standard deviation were employed to address the study enquiries, while simple linear regression was utilised to evaluate the hypotheses at the .05 significance threshold. The demonstrative findings indicated that the management of educational waste was positively correlated with the student retention rate and explained 18.9% of the variance in that rate. Furthermore, the management of the student-teacher ratio was a favourable indicator of educational waste management, accounting for 17.5% of its variance. The research determines that enhancing student retention and sustaining feasible teacher-student ratios are crucial elements of educational efficacy and minimising educational waste. It advocates for the methodical observation of pupils' advancement, prompt recognition of those at risk of disengagement, and the strategic allocation of educators throughout public secondary institutions.