INFLUENCE OF SCHOOL-BASED ORGANIZATION COMMITTEES ON THE MANAGEMENT OF SENIOR SECONDARY SCHOOLS IN FUNTUA SENATORIAL ZONE, KATSINA STATE,NIGERIA

ABSTRACT

This study was conducted on the Influence of School-Based Management Committees ontheAdministration of Senior Secondary Schools in Funtua Senatorial Zone, Katsina State. The study had sixobjectives among which were to;assess the influence of School-Based Management Committees on maintenance of discipline in Secondary Schools inFuntua Senatorial Zone, Katsina State; ascertain the influence of School-Based Management Committees on school-community relationship in secondary schools inFuntua Senatorial Zone, Katsina State; determine the influence of School-Based Management Committees on provision of instructional materials in Secondary Schools inFuntua Senatorial Zone, Katsina State; In line with these objectives, six research questions, six null hypotheses and six basic assumptions were formulated. Related literatures were reviewed along with four (4) empirical studies. Descriptive research design was adopted for the study.A total of 342 respondents were sampled out of the total population of 1780 respondents. A structured questionnaire was used to collect data from the respondents. The data collected were presented in tables and analyzed using weighted means to answer the research questions. The sixhypotheses were tested using One Way Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) at 0.05alpha level of significance. Descriptive statistic was used to analyze the bio- data of the respondents. the major findings of the study were; School-Based Management Committees played role mainly in the Maintenance of Discipline of students in Secondary Schools inFuntua Senatorial Zone, Katsina State; School-Based Management Committees influenced mutual relationship between the schools and the host Communities in Secondary Schools inFuntua Senatorial Zone,Katsina State; School-Based Management Committees influenced the Provision of Instructional Materials in Secondary Schools inFuntua Senatorial Zone, Katsina State. The Study recommended thatSchool-Based Management Committees should put more efforts in ensuring that students and staff discipline is given attention by paying regular visits and attend meeting on discipline matters in schools and give advises to authority on erring staff and students and recommend the appropriate punishments that will serve as deterrent to others in Secondary Schools inFuntua Senatorial Zone, KatsinaState. School-Based Management Committees should ensure mutual understanding between school and communities by organising school- community campaign on the importance of schoolcommunity relationship for educational development and in order to bring about improvement of the school system in Secondary Schools inFuntua Senatorial Zone, KatsinaState. School Based Management Committee should further reach out to other nongovernmental organisations for improvement of the Schools.

CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

1.1        Background to the Study

School-Based Management Committee (SBMC) is the process of devolution of power and authority to significant stakeholders to perform statutory responsibilities in the administration, monitoring, evaluation and review of educational policy issues, for sustainable goal oriented   governance and effective teaching and learning activities to achieve set standards and quality learning outcome in schools,Adeolu and Williams (2013). School-Based Management Committees (SBMC) are essential links between schools, the host communities and students. SBMCs are made up of a range of local people involved with their school. It is also work to increase communities‟ involvement with education, and to help improve the quality and effectiveness of schools. SchoolBased Management Committees involve the decentralization of authority from the government to the school level (Caldwell, 2005). School-based management is formal alteration of governance structures, a form of decentralization that identifies the individual school as the primary unit of improvement and rallies on the redistribution of decision-making authority as the primary means through which improvement are stimulated and sustained. This means that in school based management committees, the responsibility for and decision-making authority over school operations is transferred from government (Owners of schools) to principals, teachers, old students, parents and other selected community members.

The instrument for sustainable development of every society is closely tied to its level of educational development. In modern Nigeria, education is usually provided through a social institution whichisconsciously designed where learning experiences are provided with the view to achieving social aim at large. School could be seen as a sub system of the larger system of the society, it is therefore has to functionally coordinate through its immediate environment, and the community in which it is situated. Education has been adopted as an instrument for effective national development. Community is partly of the society and education is the counterpart of the above elements. Education at secondary level is defined as the form of education children receive after primary education and before the tertiary stage. The broad aims of secondary education as stated in the National Policy on Education (2007) include preparation for useful living within the society and preparation for higher education. In the policy document, it is stated that, government of Nigeria welcomes the participation of voluntary agencies and communities in the establishment and management of secondary schools. This is because the provision of education has become very expensive and not be left to the government alone.

The school and community are two inseparable entities which are mutually dependent on one another. In Nigeria and indeed many African countries, the typical image of a community is that of a medium size with a close-knit group of inhabitants largely self-contained with everybody knowing and standing in accepted relationship with one another Muthorni (2005). Social inclusion in education process is one of the necessary conditions for advancing quality education, which bring a quality life and freedom. In other words, universal access to quality knowledge and skills ensure that everybody has an equal opportunity to play a full part in schooling process. A major contributor to success of a student in schools as Baiz in Adeolu (2013) puts it is that of family involvement,its powerful influence on students‟ achievement in schools. Ngoka 2003 observed that a community is a body of people living in the same locality and having a common cultural and historical heritage and the willingness to work together. In the same vein, Nwangwu (2007) observed that a school does not exist in isolation. It exist in social setting, in other words, it is an integral part of the community, in which it is situated. This therefore, means that the community as well as the public in one way or the other own and support the school. He further stated that because of this support, these people deserve to be informed on regular basis on the progress and activities of the school. The school as well as the community should understand and appreciate the need for mutual co-existence. Thus, there is absolute need to create opportunities, where committee or a forum view on school administrative aspects, policies, programmes and activities are discussed. It is therefore desirable, to each and every secondary school to form a committee that will comprised the representative of school host communities, the non-governmental organization, the old students, the traditional rulers, the religious leaders as well as artisans. This committee is known as  School-Based Management Committee (SBMC).

However, these school-level actors have to conform to or operate within a set of policies determined by the government since they own them. School-Based Management Committee programs exist in different forms, both in terms of who has the power to make decisions and in term of the degree of decision making that is developed to the school level while some programs transfer authority only to principals or teachers, where others encourage or mandate parental, old students and community participation in the school administration and management. The decentralization policy on school administration and management is premised infact local communities are closer to the schools and understand their problems.

 

1.2        Statement of the Problem

The demand for quality Education in Katsina State and Funtua senatorial zone in particular has become progressively more insistent, more widespread and more complex. The educational aims and objectives have widened with new challenging opportunities and threats to meet the critical needs of the Nigerian society. Most secondary schools in Funtua senatorial zone have encountered with many administrative problems, such problems range from personnel to infrastructural. Even a preliminary visit to some of the public secondary schools by the researcher show that lots of problems associated with school‟s administration actually exist. Some of these problems include shortage of teachers and security men, in adequate chairs and tables, dilapidated buildings such as classrooms, staff quarters, some offices of teachers, library, workshops among others, lateness and leaving the schools premisesof students before closing hours especially day schools,shortage of instructional materials such as text books, tape, audiovisual aids and other working materials to mention but few. These have been a big challenge to school administrators at secondary school level to operate properly.

The responsibility of managing secondary education in Nigeria is a complex matter, and government has made tremendous effort to addressing these problems. Evidence in various public secondary schools proved thatgovernment alone cannot solve these problems. The trend now is that the government cannot do it alone. An effective secondary school administration is almost an impossible task without community participation. Some of the problematic areas in which researcher intend to investigate are issue of schoolDiscipline, School-Community Relationship,instructional materials deficit, staff recruitmentespecially recruitment of Part-Time Teachers, staff development and provision and maintenance of school infrastructural facilities respectively.Thus, what motivated the researcher to under-go this study to investigate the influence of community participation through School-Based Management Committees on the administration of Secondary Schools for general improvement of secondary school education, in

Funtua senatorial Zone.

1.3        Objectives of the Study

The main objectives of this study are to:

1. assess the influence of School-Based Management Committees on maintenance of discipline in Secondary Schools in Funtua Senatorial Zone;
2. ascertain the influence of School-Based Management Committees on school-community relationship in secondary schools in Funtua Senatorial Zone;
3. determine the influence of School-Based Management Committees on provision of

instructional materials in Secondary Schools in Funtua Senatorial Zone;

4. examine the influence of School-Based Management committees on recruitment of part- time teachers in secondary schools in Funtua Senatorial Zone;
5. determine the influence of School-Based Management Committees on staff development in Secondary Schools in Funtua Senatorial Zone; and
6. examine the influence of School-Based Management Committees on provision of

infrastructural facilities in Secondary Schools in Funtua Senatorial Zone.

1.4        Research Questions

For the purpose of this study, the following research questions have been considered:

1. Is there any influence of school-based management committees on maintenance of discipline in Secondary Schools, in Funtua Senatorial Zone?
2. Is there any influence of school-based management committees on school-community relationship in Secondary Schools, in Funtua Senatorial Zone?
3. What is the influence of school-based management committees on provision of instructional materials in Secondary Schools, in Funtua Senatorial Zone?
4. Is there any influence of school-based management committees on recruitment of part-time teachers in Secondary Schools, in Funtua Senatorial Zone?
5. What is the influenceof school-based management committees on staff development in

Secondary Schools, in Funtua Senatorial zone?

6. What is the influence of school-based management committees on provision of

infrastructural facilities in Secondary Schools, in Funtua Senatorial Zone?

1.5        Hypotheses

The hypotheses of the study are as follows:

1. There is no significant difference in the opinions of principals, teachers, supervisors and SBMC representatives in the influence of School-Based Management Committees on maintenance of discipline in Secondary Schools in Funtua Senatorial Zone.
2. There is no significant difference in the opinions of principals, teachers, supervisors and SBMC representatives in the influence of school-based management committees on school-community relationship in secondary schools in Funtua Senatorial Zone.
3. There is no significant difference in the opinions of principals, teachers, supervisors and SBMC representatives in the influence of School-Based Management Committees on provision of instructional materials in Secondary Schools in Funtua Senatorial Zone.
4. There is no significant difference in the opinions of principals, teachers, supervisors and SBMC representatives in the influence of School-Based Management Committees on recruitment of part-time teaches in Secondary Schools in Funtua Senatorial Zone.
5. There is no significant difference in the opinions of principals, teacher, supervisors and SBMC representatives in the influence of School-Based Management Committees on staff development in Secondary Schools inFuntua Senatorial Zone.
6. There is no significant difference in the opinions of principals, teachers, supervisors and SBMC representatives in the influence of School-Based Management Committees on provision of infrastructural facilities in Secondary Schools in Funtua Senatorial Zone.

1.6        Basic Assumptions

The study was guided with assumptions that:

1. involving school-based management committees in the administration of secondary schools will help in maintenance of discipline;
2. involving school-based management committees in the administration of secondary will enhance school-community relationship;
3. Community and other stakeholders involvement in the administration of secondary schools led to success of schools in provision of instructional materials;
4. community involvement in secondary school administration led to success of schools in recruitment of part-time teachers;
5. Involving school-based management committees in the administration of secondary schools help to improve capacity building through staff development;and
6. community involvement would be essential in the improvement in the provision and

maintenance of infrastructural facilities.

 

 

 

1.7 Significance of the Study

The study will be of significant to all the following stakeholders who comprise: the schools, principal, teachers, the parents,and old students, the students of the school presently, government and the community at large. Firstly, through this study, the parents of students will get to understand their obligations concerning educational development of their children in the school, hence they were involved in the process of administration and management of the school as a result of which would enable them to provide their contribution for the development of the school and increase their participation in decision making process and therefore support in the development of the school and increase their participation in the implementation of the agreed courses of  action. This is particularly important in taking charge of discipline of their children.

Secondly, it will also be important to the ex-students of the school hence they will be able to know and understand their mandate for inclusion into the committee that involve in the administration of school, which will enable them to express their views concerning the administrative aspects of their former schools for further development of such school.

Thirdly, community participation through School-Based Management Committee in School administration and management strengthens school agents to formulate policies that will involve parent and communities members. It would actually motivate the stakeholders to provide necessary contribution that will be in assistance to improve teaching and learning process in the school. This is usually has a goal of providing and maintaining a healthy teaching and learning environment through the provision of appropriate and adequate physical infrastructure as well as ensure good mental, physical and emotional wellbeing of the students, school and community.

Furthermore, the principal will also be a great beneficent of the study because it will help him to understand ways or strategies that will assist him on how to create and maintain a cordial relationship between him and his school community such as teachers, and students and also to the local community in which his school was located. This will boost the morale of the schools community to discharge their duty/duties very well for attainment of the desire goals of the school.

In addition, they will be able to appreciate the contribution of how community through School-Based Management Committees effort helps them to acquire more welfare services and thereby enhance their skills, hence widening the scope of their educational development. Again, it will help them to appreciate the findings of this study because the study will expose them to the impacts community has to bring in fostering their education in the school such as provision of instructional materials, like chalk boards, chalk, text books among other will help them to learn effectively.

The Teachers on the other hand will find this study important in the sense that the awareness of the community participation in the administration of schools will increase the school-community cordial relationship thereby bringing about effective decision making in secondary schools. This will go a long to enhance the teaching and learning process in secondary school system.The community, which is made up of parents and guidance of the students, will also find this study significant because it will aid them to understand and appreciate their responsibilities towards school administration in order to facilitate learning process.

Lastly, the government will also benefit from this study, because the result of this study will be a useful blueprint that serves as tools use to guide the formulation and implementation of various educational policies, to adopt full involvement of the community in administration and management of secondary schools. The result of this study will also be of significance to future researchers who may wish to use this material as a research instrument for further study.

1.8        Scope of the Study

The study examines the influence of School-Based Management Committees, on the administration of senior public secondary schools, in Funtua senatorial zone, KatsinaState.

Funtua senatorial Zone  hasa total of three educational zones. Namely; Funtua, Malumfashi, and Faskari Educational zones. However, the research is restricted to the maximum of four respondents only, comprising the principals, teachers, supervisors and SBMCs representatives.

INFLUENCE OF SCHOOL-BASED ORGANIZATION COMMITTEES ON THE MANAGEMENT OF SENIOR SECONDARY SCHOOLS IN FUNTUA SENATORIAL ZONE, KATSINA STATE,NIGERIA

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