Role of Community in the Growth and Development of Public Schools in Ebonyi Local Government Area of Ebonyi State

Abstract

The study investigated the role of community in school growth and development in Ebonyi Local Government Area of Ebonyi State. The researcher adopted descriptive survey research design for this study. Two research questions guided the study. The population of the study comprised all teachers and PTA executives of eighty eight (88) public Primary and Nineteen (19) public secondary schools in Ebonyi Local Government Area of Ebonyi State. The researcher used random sampling techniques to select forty (40) primary and ten (10) secondary schools giving a total of fifty (50) schools. From the 50 schools, two teachers and two PTA executives were drawn to give a sample size of 200 respondents as sample for the study. A researcher-structured questionnaire titled Community Role in School Development Questionnaire (CRSDQ) was used as instrument for data collection.  The instrument was validated by three experts; two experts in Educational Administration and Planning of the Department of Educational Foundations and one expert in Department of Science Education (Measurement and Evaluation Option) from Ebonyi State University, Abakaliki. The reliability of the instrument was obtained using the Cronbach Alpha Approach to get a reliability coefficient index of 0.73. This value was considered of a very high internal consistency, making the instrument suitable for use for the study. The researcher administered 200 questionnaires on the respondents through the Head-teachers and they were all completed and returned.

The researcher made use of simple percentage to analyse the data collected. Mean scores were used for data analysis. The findings showed that the school community carry out fund raising activities, construction of school building, provision of instructional materials, maintenance of damaged school infrastructures, engage community teachers, campaign for students’ enrolment, providing labour, vigilante services, discipline of erring school personnel and build mutual school- community relations for the growth and development of their schools in Ebonyi Local Government Area of Ebonyi State. Based on the findings, the researcher recommended that government should encourage partnership with community for sustainable growth and development of public schools in Ebonyi Local Government Area of Ebonyi State. Communities should also made themselves available in school committees to ensure proper monitoring of teachers for effective teaching and learning in their schools.