CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION Every a public relations officer must or will was faced the problem of lack of confidence. Not so much in himself as in the value of the job he has to do. In some causes, this is because of a failure by those in the management to appreciate fully the purpose and objectives of public relations in others, it is because of the appointment of the incompetent wrong officer who does not understand the subject or lacks the personality to convince those around him of its importance. Yet in others there is a misguided sense of economy, which postulates that public relations is an expensive luxury. This line of thought often leads to the appointment or the transfer of a man or woman to the post on the ground that he or she likes meeting the public or some other poor reasons. Modern public relations practice is an indispensable instrument of any management public relations principles into management decisions. The public relations department in any organization should serve as the fight hand of management advising it in much the same way as a lawyer counsels his clients on legal matters. Since there appears to be people dependent on it for existence, such organization should always strive to take the interest of this public into consideration in all its decision this is necessary because all organization decisions have public relations implication. The decision to increase the prices of goods to change the trademark or even to change the school calendar or increase the school fees could lead to dissonant behavior from the public. Public relation’s input therefore becomes a very significant factor in the decision making process. There is something to be said about making the public relations unit in the ANSEC a separate entity able to advice and guide without fear or favour. In Anambra State Education Commissioner is important to enable the public relations officer to be able to persuade others in the management while arguing on equal level. Ideally the public relations officer (P.R.O) in the ANSEC should attend all the management meeting. All (Commissions Meeting) these have a bearing on the commission policy and as head of his own department he is then in a position of being able to give advice free of restraint this is against the present position where the commissioner’s principal public relations officer (who is the highest in the hierarchy of the commission’s P.R.O.S) is ill informed on commission’s decisions and at times is merely briefed. All new educational policies need public relations consideration. How will the public react to them? How can they be explained how easily will they be understood the earlier the advice the greater the chances of success. It is even possible that with a better orientation, the ANSEC management might abandon some of its objective if public relations advice indicated a positive chance of public rejection. Each objective, each decision, poses the question, how do we tell the public and what will public’s reaction be public relations in the Anambra State Education Commission involves a great deal more than the more giving of information which is a passive role. It is almost useless appointing a public relations man or woman and then ignoring the advice given. There is a seemingly tendency to regard the commission public relations department as a “Post Office” an agency for the distribution of pamphlets or News releaser. This is how not to appreciate the in the period before Christ King used to ask for the advice of aides on how best to deal with their subject. This is it self show that the concept of public relations is as old as human history and has continued to exist among people. Present day from of public relations practice however data back to 1923. However in 1948 following the public relations in Britain alongside the public relations Society of American the Management concept of Public Relation was introduce concept ideal behind the introduced was to enable organization consider the interest of their public in decision making process through the building public relations principles in all decision that are likely to have implication for the long and short term goals of the organization this feeling to have public relations department serve as the right hand of management was encapsulated in the definition of public relation by some mass communication scholars one of such definitions. Sees public relations as a philosophy and function of management which evaluates public attitudes, identifies the policies and procedures of an individual the policies and procedures of an individual or an organization leaders and implementing planned programme of action which will serve both the organization and the public interest from the above definition. It can be seen that the concept of public relations as a management function was built into the definition of public relations and is therefore an indispensable instrument of any management. In Nigeria however public relations practice is yet to be perceived as a management function this is due to the failure of some organization chief executives to establish, public relations as an organized part of their activities due mainly to their considering. It is to the their own personal responsibility to project the personality of the concern to the outside world. Many of these chief executives regard them selves as their organization’s chief public relations officers and react instinctively against any suggestion that this important function should be delegated to any one how ever in the art of communication who could be better than the chief executive to explain the complex policy to the press radio and television or to Ifitedunu located within the Anambra State capital territory the highest in the hierarchy of the public relations officers in the commission in the principal public relations officer whose office is at senior information officer who co-ordinate the activities of the others office hand at the headquarters. These is also a place in the other commission zone officer, public relations officer who on day to day basic teal with the number commission is public both internal and external for example. The zonal public relations officer at Ifitedunu all issues that are likely to have public relations implication, like complaints against transfer by teachers threats a place in mind what should be done to boost their I made this practically to all other public relations officers representing the commission in the others zones. These problem highlighted by the zonal P.R.O are now table before the management officers the management would then deliberate o the issues and come out at times with far reaching solutions depending on the principal public relations unit would them service means of reaching out to the effected public on the issues e.g. through press release handouts public announcements and visits to affected areas etc.

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