Abstract

In this paper, the focus is on the management skills of rural high school principals to create meaningful learning environments in rural communities. Resource management is one of the major responsibilities of principals in any school, no matter where it is located. The responsibilities assume even greater proportions in a rural environment lacking basic infrastructure such as roads, electricity, sanitation, and an effective transportation system. The limited availability of teaching and learning materials compounds the problems further of providing equal and quality education in such an environment. These challenges need to be converted into opportunities for learners in the rural communities as a teacher education priority. There is consensus that effective managers of physical resources must be proficient in four general skills areas to contribute to the outcomes of learning. These skills are conceptual, interpersonal, technical and political in nature and are necessary practices, as discussed in this paper, to ensure quality education for rural learners.