IMPROVING SCHOOL-COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIP IN SUSTAINABLE QUALITY ASSURANCE IN SECONDARY SCHOOL ADMINISTRATION IN NSUKKA EDUCATION ZONE

ABSTRACT
This study was carried out to ascertain ways of improving school-community partnership for sustainable quality assurance in secondary school administration in Nsukka Education zone of Enugu state. Five research questions and two null hypotheses guided the study. The study adopted a descriptive survey research. A sample of 400,made up of 278 principal/ teachers and 122 PTA executives, was used for the study. The instrument used for data collection was questionnaire titled “Improving School-Community Partnership Questionnaire”, developed by the researcher. The research questions were answered using mean and standard deviations while the null hypotheses were tested using t-test statistics.The findings of the study revealed that the ways community members can actively participate in decision making include: involving the communities in setting best alternative course of action , regular consultations with community development unions on school programmes and activities, allowing the community to take part in determining subjects offered in the school, allowing the community to take part in deciding school levies and amount charged. The study revealed that school-community partnership can be improved through active participation of community in the provision of infrastructural facilities, provision of furniture, rehabilitation of school infrastructural facilities, provision of instructional materials and provision of recreational facilities. The study also revealed that the school-community partnershipcan be improved by the communities recruiting adequate number of staff to fill existing vacancies giving incentives to boost teachers’ morale and rewarding outstanding staff. The findings also revealed that school-community partnership can be improved through community provision of fund for procurement of equipment, provision of funds for the renovation of dilapidated buildings, sponsoring school co-curricular activities, and sponsoring school academic competition Based on the findings, the researcher recommended that government should encourage the operation of the school based management committees in the schools for the mobilization of the host communities in school administration for sustainable quality assurance, there is need for the Ministries of Education to spell out areas which communities can be involved in decision-making process in schools, that the state government should sensitize all communities on the need for increased participation in school administration, especially in the provision of facilities and instructional materials.

CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
Background of the Study
Education is conceived by people of varying backgrounds, ages, needs and
aspirations as a tool for sustainable development. The potency of education is more
evident in its globalization trends imbued with instrumental values of nurturing
productive citizens for sustainable development and democracy. Education is an
inevitable tool for sustainable development and a vehicle for advancing the frontier
of knowledge (Abdul-Kareem, 2001). Education has been recognized as a process of
imparting knowledge, skills, value and attitudes to the learners. This could take place
in homes, skill centers and schools, among others with the purpose of ensuring total
development of the children.

Secondary education is the type of education offered to children who have
completed their primary education. It is divided into three years of junior secondary
and three years of senior secondary. Education that is offered at this level has two
main purposes; to prepare students acquire the necessary skills that would help them
live functionally in their communities, and to prepare them to continue with their
academic careers in higher institutions. According to Federal Republic of Nigeria
(FRN) (2004), the objectives of secondary school shall be to:

Provide all primary school leavers with the opportunity for a higher education; offer diversified curriculum to cater for the differences in talents, opportunities and future roles; provide trained manpower in the applied science, technology and commerce at sub-professional grades; develop and promote Nigerian languages, arts and culture in the context of world’s cultural heritage; Inspire students with a desire for self improvement and achievement of excellence; foster national unity with an emphasis on the common tries that unite us in our diversity; Raise a generation of people who can think for themselves, respect the views and feelings of others, respect the dignity of labour, appreciate those values specified under our broad national goals and live as good citizens; provide technical knowledge and vocational skills necessary for agricultural, industrial, commercial and economic development (p:6).

These laudable objectives of secondary education cannot be achieved by the
government alone. In other words, the public secondary schools cannot meet the
educational needs of the teaming population of the country if left for the government
alone. This is because many public secondary schools in Nigeria are characterized by
inadequacy of infrastructure, facilities and personnel, poor funding, hence declining
standard, examination malpractices and substandard products.

Federal Republic of Nigeria (2004) in her National Policy on Education
recognized that education is an expensive social service that requires adequate
financial provisions from all tiers of government, private sector, communities,
individuals and other organizations for successful implementation of education
programmes. The policy document stated that education cannot be free at all levels.
Therefore, the need for effective teaching- learning process and school effectiveness
calls for the community-school co-operation. Community-school relation is an
important aspect of school administration. It deals with deliberate and sustainable
efforts to establish and maintain mutual understanding between the school and the
community where the school sited. The essence of this relationship is to establish a
good rapport between the school and community in order to achieve educational
goals.

School-community relationship enhances effective teaching and learning process as it engenders the interest of all stake holders. Oyedele (2000) described community school relations as ways by which the school relates with the immediate and large communities where the school is located. Oyedele noted that through the relationships that exist between the school and community, the community learns about the progress, development, problems, purposes, programmes and the needs of the schools and where the community could be involved and assist. Suleiman (2001) stated that the purpose of having community-school relations is to enhance effective goals achievement in the schools. The schools are established for the purpose of the immediate community. The community needs to monitor and supervise the schools to see to their needs, problems and progress towards the education of their children. Bello (2011) believed that open relationship between the school and community could bring about high opportunities that will allow community resources to be optimally utilized for the school improvement.

School-community partnership is a driving force behind quality assurance practice, aimed at improving the quality of school administration, learning environment, curriculum delivery and students’ learning outcomes. This could be done through the establishment of meaningful, close, strong and goal-oriented partnership between the school and other relevant stakeholders such as School Based Management Committees (SBMC), Parent-Teachers Association (PTA), Old Students’ Association, Non-government organisations, Age grades, Communities, Corporate bodies, Individuals and other social institutions. This synergy is necessary because a virile and responsive school-community relationship is a building block.....

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Item Type: Project Material  |  Size: 119 pages  |  Chapters: 1-5
Format: MS Word   Delivery: Within 30Mins.
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