Appraisal of community involvement in secondary schools development in Okigwe Education Zone of Imo State

Abstract

The study appraised Community involvement in Secondary School development in Okigwe Education Zone: Descriptive and inferential survey design was adopted for the study. The total population of 156 respondents, i.e. Principals and Chairmen of Board of Governors (BOGs) of Senior Secondary Schools (SSS) were used without sampling. Data were collected using a 20- item researchers made questionnaire, with response options of SA, A, D, SD. Four research questions and two hypotheses were used. Mean scores (X) of 2.50 were used to answer the research questions while Z - test statistics tested the hypotheses at 0.05 level of significance. The results show that, Communities in Okigwe Zone get involved on the development of their secondary schools through donation of lands, donation of money and payment of school fees for their children in the schools, they equally construct school buildings, provide facilities such as science and sports equipment, library facilities etc. It further revealed that the Communities do not monitor to ensure proper utilization of funds made available to the schools, launching and PTA levies are the major strategies Communities use in rasing funds for their schools etc. In the light of these, recommendations were made that Communities should not relax in their effort of school development after their initial involvement in setting up the schools; Principals should develop and adopt good school Community relationship strategies to attract assistance from the community, and have to ensure proper utilization and maintenance of the available school resources. etc.